Dear Teresa
by Holz9364
Summary: Based loosely on the movie "Dear John." Jane kills Red John and gets away with self defence, but Lisbon is fired. Not knowing what to do she joins the Army.
1. The End of the World as I Know It

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 1 - The End of the World as I Know It.**

**A/N - A new story YAY! I'm always so nervous about how a new fic will go down, I just hope you don't hate it! **

**As always, I don't own the mentalist or any of the characters or anything in this fic EXCEPT the idea, that's all mine, yaaaay. **

**Hope you enjoy guys ;D xxx**

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Teresa's Lisbons world began to fall apart the moment she let Patrick Jane walk away from her, on his hunt for Red John. The teams lead had fallen through and Hightower had ordered them not to pursue, Jane had said he would look into the lead alone and after a heated argument Lisbon gave up and let him walk away.

For the rest of the day she couldn't put her mind at rest and eventually she got a text message from the man occupying her thoughts, "Malibu home HELP." It simply said, but it was enough for Lisbon. Yelling at the team to hurry she got them all into the SUV and really broke the speed limit on her way to Janes Malibu home, it was a long drive and she was sure he would be dead by the time she got there.

However she walked into Janes home to find him nursing a shot wound to the arm and sitting on the cold Kitchen floor surrounded by blood that wasn't his own. Following the trail of blood Lisbon found a man in a cloak and a mask lying face down on the blood-stained carpet, he was alive, but barely.

Calling an ambulance and back-up she made sure the man who was quite obviously Red John was secured and got into the back of the ambulance with Jane, they didn't speak, but she knew that things were different now.

She sat with Jane as the doctor stitched his arm up, luckily the bullet had only grazed it, he slid his hand into hers and they remained silent. The Doctor smiled at Jane and said he would need to sit and rest for at least 2 hours before he would be allowed out of the hospital, Jane nodded, too fed up to argue with the man and he left.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while longer, Janes hand in Lisbons, and then for the first time since the ordeal, Jane spoke, "I love you." He said softly, shocking Lisbon so much she almost fell of the hospital bed she was sitting on with him. "No you don't." She argued.

Jane frowned, snapping out of his trance-like state, "Yes I do." He said firmly, but Lisbon just shook her head, "No, you don't. You're only saying that because you've been through a lot."

Jane put his hand on Lisbons chin and forced her to look at him, "Yes, I am saying it because of what I've been through because I realised when I had a gun pointed at my head with my life flashing before my eyes that you _are _my life."

Lisbons eyes widened, "You love me?" She asked, now completely dumbfounded.

Jane nodded, looking into her green eyes with his sincere blue ones, "I do." He said.

Lisbon breathed deeply, "Wow." She said, glancing down attheir joined hands.

"Wow?" Jane said, "That's your response?" He was watching her curiously and a small smile graced her face when she blushed deeply.

"I feel the same way." She said simply, her cheeks now scarlet, Janes smile widened as he let go of her hand and rested his good arm around her shoulders, letting her guard down Lisbon leaned into his chest and closed her eyes, feeling so happy and content in that moment.

_So, Teresa Lisbons life seems to be getting better rather than worse, doesn't it? On the surface, yes, everything looked perfect, but there were underlying problems that had yet to be addressed…one pressing matter being that Red John wasn't dead yet._

Around one week after Jane and Lisbon had realised they were in love with each other everything fell apart, all because of one man.

Red John escaped, before his trial the Judge had let him go, he really did have friends high up. This news sent Jane off the rails and in a flurry of rage he left the CBI and Lisbon behind. He was gone for a week and then declared 'missing.'

The team functioned, barely, without him and for 2 months they heard nothing. The team all assumed the worst had happened, he had found Red John and had been killed, but Lisbon knew better than that, she knew that somewhere out there Jane was alive, she had a connection with him, she would know if he was dead surely, wouldn't she?

Lisbon walked around like a Zombie most of the time, focusing on work and trying not to think about Patrick Jane, but during the lonely, dark hours at the office at night she couldn't help it, she would look out of her office window at the empty couch and loneliness would overwhelm her. She felt as though her life had been lived in that one week she had with him and was over now.

It was on one of these depressing nights that Lisbons phone rang, she knew from the time (around 3am in the morning) that it wasn't work related and immediately panicked, thinking something had happened to her brothers.

To Lisbons astonishment the caller ID said 'Patrick Jane' and without hesitation she answered the phone, "Jane?" She asked, hope and fear in her voice.

A tired voice answered her, "Hey Lisbon." It said simply, "I found Red John."

Lisbon grimaced; this meant it was bad, "Is he alive?"

"Nope." Jane said, in a sick way sounding proud at this fact.

"Did you kill him?" Lisbon asked, already knowing the answer.

"Not really." He replied, sounding very disappointed.

Lisbons eyes widened, "What do you mean?"

Jane sighed, "He shot me and was about to stab me when I picked up his gun, I was going to shoot him with it and he tried to grab it back but he shot himself in the chest in the process."

Lisbon gasped, she was shocked at the explanation, but that wasn't what scared her, "Where have you been shot?" She asked; panic surging through her, already reaching for her car keys.

"In the stomach." He said. Grimacing Lisbon realised why he sounded so tired and out of breath.

"Alright Jane." Lisbon said, trying to sound calm, "Do you feel sleepy?"

"Very." Jane replied breathily.

Lisbon was terrified, he had to stay awake or he could go into a coma, "You need to keep listening to my voice." She told him as she ran out of her office and up to Hightower's, she was relieved to find that she was there, without knocking she walked into the office, making Hightower look up at her curiously.

"Why?" Jane asked, sounding more tired than ever, "Because." Lisbon began, "Because you can't go to sleep just yet, we have too much we need to talk about, so lets talk, okay?"

Tears were brimming her eyes as she covered the phone and spoke to Hightower, "Janes been shot in the stomach, he's losing consciousness, call an ambulance please, I'm going to try and found out where he is."

Hightower nodded, dialling 911 on her phone, Lisbon asked Jane gently, "Do you know where you are Patrick?"

"Yes." He replied, breathing deeply, "Yes, basement of my Malibu house."

"That's good." She said, covering the phone again, "He's in the basement of his Malibu house." She told Hightower who gave this information the to man on the line, she then said thank you and hung up, "They said they are on their way, but it will take about 10 minutes, you have to keep talking to him until they get there Lisbon." The older woman told her, worry in her eyes for the man they had all come to love.

Lisbon nodded and sat down on the sofa as Hightower said she was going to go and inform the DA what was happening, he had been concerned about Jane's absence.

"Alright Patrick, help is coming, but until it does I just need us to talk." Lisbon said, tears streaming down her face now.

"What do you want to talk about?" Jane asked a little groggily.

Lisbon calmed herself with a deep breath, "I want you to come back to me Patrick, I've missed you." She told him honestly.

Janes voice was getting groggier, "I've missed you too Teresa, but I can't come back, I'm going to die."

"No!" Lisbon exclaimed, hoping it would jolt him awake, "No Patrick Jane, you are not going to die! Not tonight, not like this." She said, more to convince herself than him as the tears continued to flow.

"But what if I do Teresa? You should date Cho, he's good for you." Jane told her, sounding much more awake now.

"Cho is my best friend, he can't ever be anything more and he only split up with Elise a few months ago, I'm in love with you Patrick and if you don't come back no one can ever replace you."

"I want to come back." Jane admitted, "But I can't, I just can't. I'm too sleepy, can I go to sleep yet?"

"Not yet." Lisbon said, "Not until the Doctors get there to help you."

"But they're taking so long." Jane whined, "And I'm so tired."

Lisbon closed her eyes, Jane was in so much pain right now and it killed her that she couldn't be there to help him, "I know you are." She said softly, "And its alright, you can sleep soon and when you wake up I'll be there, how does that sound?"

"Good." Jane said, his voice getting groggy again, "I want to see you."

"You need to stay awake then." Lisbon old him firmly, "If you fall asleep you won't see me for a very long time."

"If I fall asleep I'll see Angela and Charlotte." Jane said, still in his groggy voice, but with a hint of excitement in it now.

"You will." Lisbon agreed, knowing she was going to lose the man she loved to two ghosts, "But if you fall asleep your life ends, your stuck forever the same way. If you stay awake when you wake up you can continue living for years and years. Wouldn't Angela and Charlotte want you to live happily for a long time?"

"They would." Jane said, "Your right Teresa, I need to stay awake, but you promise that I get to see you when I wake up?"

Her voice cracking with emotion Lisbon nodded even though she knew he couldn't see her, "I promise Patrick."

There was a bang at the other end of the phone as the door was kicked down and in a flurry of movement Lisbon lost Jane, but a man came onto the phone, "Thank you for keeping him awake Ma'am, he's being taken to San Francisco hospital for surgery."

"Thank _you." _Lisbon said, "Save him, please."

The man replied, "We'll do everything we can." And then the phone call ended.

Lisbon sat on the couch for what felt like hours until Hightower entered with the new uber Boss, DA Bertram.

Lisbon immediately wiped her eyes and stood up, "An ambulance arrived and took Jane to San Francisco hospital for surgery, the paramedic said they would do everything they could to save him."

Hightower looked relieved, "That is very good news."

"It is." Bertram agreed, "But what I would like to know is what happened in that basement."

Lisbon swallowed hard, "Jane told me that Red John found him there and shot him in the stomach, he was walking over to Jane to stab him in the heart when Jane grabbed Red Johns gun and was about to fire it when Red John tried to grab it back, but he shot himself in the chest in the process."

"So Red John is dead?" Bertram asked.

Lisbon nodded, "Yes sir."

Bertram and Hightower looked at each other for a moment, Hightower seemed to know what he was thinking, but from the look she was giving him it was as if she didn't think he was doing the right thing.

"Its safe to say that it was an accident then and Jane will get away with self-defence." Bertram told Lisbon who breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much Si-"

Bertram held up a hand, "_However, _something has to be done about this and since _you _are supposed to be Janes supervising Agent you are at fault here."

Hightower cut in, "No disrespect Sir, but how can you possibly blame Agent Lisbon for the foolish actions of Mr Jane outside of his work here at the CBI?"

Lisbon manages to give Hightower a small smile as thanks and she nodded back, but Bertram was having none of it, "Patrick Jane was still a member of the CBI and your team when this happened Agent Lisbon, he had not quit and was therefore still working on the Red John case, this was handled with stupidity and no leadership, therefore I regret to tell you that as of this minute you are relieved of your duty."

Staring at the man in horror Lisbon walked forward in a numb sort of state, put her badge and her gun on the table and with a mumbled "Thank you for everything Ma'am." to Hightower left the office.

Still feeling numb she gathered everything in her office into a cardboard box and took it to her car. Feeling nothing she drove to San Francisco hospital and rushed in, finding out Jane was still in surgery. With a despairing sigh she sat down on a cold, plastic chair and felt the numb feeling fade away.

As everything that had just happened hit her she burst into tears and waited for news that would improve her dire position in life.

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**To be Continued.**

**A/N - Yay so 1st**** chapter up! Woo! This had already been written for a while but I wanted to finish "The Cruellest Prison" before I started uploading anything else so I changed a few things after watching the first few eps of Season 3.**

**Hope you have been drawn in by the first chapter and if you haven't been please keep reading, it will get more exciting, promise!**

**Thanks for Reading! xxx**


	2. What Next?

**Dear Teresa **

**Chapter 2 - What Next?**

**A/N - Just a short chapter, but I got so many lovely reviews and i wanted to thank you all by adding chapter 2 so here it is :D

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**Teresa Lisbon had been sitting in a cold, white waiting room for what felt like hours when a nurse called for anyone who was waiting for Patrick Jane, hearing his name made her jump up and hurry over to the Nurse. The woman smiled at her, "He's just down that corridor ma'am." She said politely, "He's been asking for you."

Lisbon managed to give the woman a quick faked smile before rushing down the corridor to the door she had pointed at, she quickly looked through the window and once she knew it was him she walked in with a huge grin on her face, "You're okay." She breathed, rushing to his side and grabbing his hand.

Jane grinned back at her, "I'm good, the Doc says I lost a lot of blood, but that I'll be fine." He hugged her the best he could with his wound to the stomach and let her lie on the bed next to him, on his good side.

"I love you so much." Lisbon whispered, she felt so vulnerable right now, but for once she didn't care at all.

"I love you too." Jane sighed, "And I'm sorry for leaving you like that."

"I know." Lisbon simply said.

"Does the CBI know about all of this?" Jane asked casually, but the question made Lisbon tense and she knew that he had felt it, "Yeah, you're getting away on self-defence." She told him.

However, he knew her well and sensed that there was more to the story, "But?" He prodded, wanting the whole truth.

"But, they fired me." Lisbon finished and knew the storm would come when she saw him clench his fist into a ball, "This had nothing to do with you Teresa!" He hissed angrily, "How could Hightower possibly think that you-"

"It wasn't Hightower." Lisbon said, placing her hand on Janes to calm him, for someone who had just lost the best thing she had, she was remarkably calm, "It was Bertram and once the DA says something it's done, no more CBI."

"What are you going to do?" Jane asked, guilt swimming in his blue eyes.

Lisbon shrugged, "I don't know, join the army I think. I want to keep killing bad guys."

Janes eyes widened, "Join the army? Uh Lisbon going to Iraq in a war is a little different from being a cop on the streets of Sacramento."

Lisbon shot the man a glare, "I know that Jane, better than you do. Have you ever _been_ in the middle of a desert with a sand dune for cover and a sniper with a damn good eye looking for you?"

Jane frowned, "No." He answered, "Exactly." Lisbon said, sitting up, "I have, I was in the US army for 2 years before I went to San Francisco PD, did you actually read my file?"

Jane shook his head, "I've never used my computer since I started working at the CBI." He admitted and it was only then that it hit him; he would have to come into work every day to a different person in the office that he now called Lisbons on autopilot, he wouldn't see her for months at a time if she joined the army; her life would be in danger every single day.

"Are you sure joining the army is what you want to do?" Jane asked softly, Lisbon nodded against his chest, "I need to do something where I can make a difference and since I was relieved of my duty I can't work in any other police force in the US."

Jane placed a kiss on her forehead, "If you're sure it's what you want to do then I support your decision, but I will miss you every single day and I'll worry about you every minute and I'll dream about you every night."

Lisbons cheeks flushed pink, "But we'll be okay, won't we?" She asked.

Jane nodded, "We'll be perfect, you'll get leave for holidays and we can send each other letters."

Lisbon smiled, "That would be nice, but I'm not even going to look into it yet, not until you get better."

"That's sweet of you." Jane said, making Lisbon blush again, "And I appreciate it Teresa, thank you."

Lisbon smiled and kissed him on the cheek, "You're welcome." She said, leaning back into his chest, closing her eyes and letting sleep win over her as she was lying in the arms of Patrick Jane and there was no Red John and everything was going to be alright.

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"Patrick have you seen that brown letter anywhere?" Lisbon called from the kitchen of what was now their apartment, she was rummaging through drawers looking for the letter that had the dates of her army enrolment sessions.

Jane walked into the kitchen with no top on, but with a large bandage on his chest from where he had been shot, "It was under the bread bin yesterday." He told her as he put water in the kettle and set it on the stove to boil.

Lisbon slid her hand under the bread bin and pulled the brown letter out, she unfolded it and checked the dates, "Its next week that I go away for a month to train." Lisbon told him, "No guarantees after that, I could be sent out straight away or I could be home for a while."

With the letter in one hand she took a loaf of bread out of the bread bin, "Toast?" She asked absentmindedly.

Jane smiled at her, she was so at home living with him, which hadn't come easily, at first it had been awkward, but now it was as if it had been like this for years. In fact it had only been 2 weeks, but here she was walking around the kitchen only wearing his old shirt whilst they talked and made breakfast.

"That would be lovely my dear." He said absentmindedly as he picked up the newspaper she had thrown to the table in her search for the brown army letter.

Lisbon hmm-ed as she put 4 slices of bread in the toaster, "It looks as if I might have to leave straight from the camp, according to this I should take extra clothes to be on the safe side."

Jane frowned, "I might not even get a chance to say goodbye?" He asked, sounding very worried.

Lisbon put the letter down on the table and smiled softly at him, "It will be fine, everything will work out, don't worry." She said as she kissed him lightly on the lips.

He smiled at her as he stood up to make the coffee and tea, "Do I tell you I love you enough?" He asked with a chuckle.

"Every day." She responded cheekily as the toast popped and she set about making breakfast, at the same time as Jane placed the drinks onto the table, Lisbon placed the plates of toast next to them, anyone would think they had been living together for 2 years rather than 2 weeks.

"So if you're leaving tomorrow, what do you want to do today?" Jane asked with a contemplative look.

Lisbon laughed, "What does it matter what I'm doing? _You're _going to work, its Monday Mr Jane." She teased.

Jane shrugged, "Meh, the case is boring, Hightower sucks, Rigsby and Van Pelt just broke up again, can't I just stay with you?" He put on his puppy dog eyes and Lisbon only rolled hers, "Those eyes don't work on me." She said, but soon after she surrendered, "Alright, call in sick or something."

Jane grinned, he had gotten his way, as always, "So, what do you want to do?" He asked again.

Lisbon blushed a little, "It will sound really lame, but I just want to lie in bed and talk all day."

Jane chuckled, "I think that can be arranged." He shot her a charming smile and they chatted about the issues in the newspaper over breakfast. Once they had eaten they went back to bed, lying in each others arms and talking, about everything and anything, happy things, until the topic turned to the next day.

"I'm not going to work in the morning." Jane told her, "You can't make me because I won't go, not until I've driven you to the airport and said goodbye."

Lisbon knew he wouldn't be moved on the matter, "I know, I won't make you go to work." She said, trying to sound calm, but knowing that the worry in her head seeped into her voice.

"Are you afraid?" Jane asked and as Lisbon felt she could tell Jane anything now she nodded, "A little bit." She admitted, "I'm going to miss you and I'm afraid that something happens to me, if something happens will you be alright?" She asked.

Jane sighed, "I don't know." He admitted, "I don't know what I would do without you, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." He hugged her tighter, protectively, "Let's just hope that nothing does happen." He said, trying to sound positive, but he himself knew that no one could guarantee that.

Lisbon snuggled into Jane's chest, "I just want to spend today like this so that when I'm away I never forget what it feels like. I love you, so much." Her vulnerability was coming out again and Jane knew it was because she was scared so he held her closer, "I know baby, I love you too and everything's gonna be fine."

**To Be Continued**

**A/N - Not that long, but still, I didn't really end Chapter 1 with the full story about what Lisbon would do now she didn't have the CBI so I wrote a second chapter =] . **

**Thanks for Reading! xxx**


	3. Departure

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 3 -Departure**

**A/N - I bring you a long chapter :D Sorry about the short one, I'm kind of focusing more on my other fic "Billy Don's Ford", but i haven't forgotten about this one!**

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**"Patrick?"

"Yes my dear?"

"Are you planning to let go of me anytime soon?"

"Nope."

Lisbon laughed despite the situation, Jane was lying behind her, his arms wrapped so tightly around her waist that no more how much she tried she couldn't escape. He had tickled her into submission and now he wouldn't let her get out of bed.

"I don't think I'm ready to let you go yet." He whispered into her hair and the smile fell from her face, he wasn't just joking around anymore, today was the day she was due to leave for her training.

Lisbon managed to wriggle her way around so that she was facing him, "Its not forever."

Jane began to play with her hair, "It's dangerous."

"So was being a cop." Lisbon argued, but she knew that he was right.

"This is different." Jane told her, "And you know it."

Lisbon nodded, "I have to go." She sighed as she moved closer to him, "I need to have a purpose in life, I need to know that I'm doing something for the world, not just for me."

Jane moved his hand from Lisbons hair to her cheek, she could see sadness in his eyes, but he nodded, "I understand, I guess I'm just being selfish because I don't want you to leave, I don't want to be alone again."

Lisbon leaned over and kissed him lightly on the lips, "You won't be alone, I'll always be around, just not in person." She smiled softly at him and he chuckled, "I'm so glad you didn't say 'I'll always be in your heart' I was beginning to think I'd turned the fearless Teresa Lisbon into a softy."

Lisbon grinned, "Never." She retorted cheekily and as he temporarily loosened his hold on her she jumped out of bed and stuck her tongue at him, he only laughed, "Well since you're up first I guess it's your turn to make breakfast."

He closed his eyes as he listened to Lisbons laugh echoing around the hallway as she walked down the stairs, he wanted to remember this morning so that when he missed her he could shut his eyes and be in this moment again. He wasn't sure how long he lay there for with his eyes shut, but he was snapped back into the real world by Lisbons voice.

"You better get your lazy butt out of bed if you want any pancakes." She called jokingly up the stairs and with a smile Jane got out of bed and walked down the stairs, "Wouldn't want to miss out on your marvellous pancakes." He said with a grin when he walked into the kitchen, she was sitting at the table with a huge cup of coffee and a plate of pancakes in front of her.

He couldn't stop staring at her, she was sitting there wearing one of his old T-Shirts, a habit of hers lately, it was simple, but she looked beautiful and he wanted to remember her like that.

Lisbon chuckled, "Your pancakes are going cold." She said, cocking her head at him.

Jane smiled in a mysterious way and sat down across from her, sipping his tea, "Mmm, perfect as usual." He sighed in content.

They sat there, eating their pancakes and drinking their coffee/tea in silence, comfortable silence, both of them thinking the same thing, how long would they be apart after this morning?

When they had finished their breakfast Jane became quieter than usual, Lisbon noticed, but didn't say anything.

"I'm going for a shower." Lisbon told him, "Try and smile a little bit more when I'm out."

Jane nodded, but didn't smile; Lisbon sent him a worried glance before going into the bathroom and shutting the door.

Jane sighed and went back to their bed; he lay down and closed his eyes again, no longer thinking about happy things. He was thinking about how he felt the day he found out that his wife and daughter were dead, the way he felt like the world was about to end, how he thought he would never heal.

But he _had_ healed, Lisbon had healed him and now she was leaving him too, not in the way Angela and Charlotte had left him, but war was dangerous, anything could happen to her.

Lisbon came out of the bathroom, her hair wet and wearing nothing but a towel and all Jane's doubts and worries were gone because he knew that Lisbon loved him, she wasn't leaving_ him_, she was leaving to help the world, saint Teresa, always doing whats best for others rather than herself.

"I love you."

Lisbon smiled, it was out of the blue, but it was all Janes little quirks that made her love him so much, he was so random at times, but he made her laugh.

"I love you too." She chuckled.

Her chuckle made him grin and Lisbon was happy to see a smile on his face.

It was still early morning and the moon was in the sky outside, due to the fact that Lisbon was to be at the airport at 8am in the morning they had set the alarm for 5am and it was now just after 6am, but it was Winter and it didn't get light until around half 7 at this time of year.

Jane stood up from the bed and pulled Lisbon with him to the window, she frowned at him as he pointed at the moon.

"It's a full moon?" She questioned, wondering where he was going with this, he was so mysterious.

Jane nodded and held his thumb up to the window, "Doesn't matter where you are in the world, it's never bigger than your thumb." He told her, "So whenever you see a full moon, you'll think of me."

Lisbons heart was breaking at leaving Jane, but she couldn't get another job now, after spending her whole life in the police she couldn't just do something random like become a teacher or work in a grocery store, she had to keep helping people.

"I'll be thinking of you anyway." She admitted, her cheeks flushing with colour at her own words, but they made Jane smile.

Looking at the time Lisbon cursed and hurried over to her wardrobe, Jane watched mesmerised as she put her army clothing on, he had to admit it suited her, but it was what the clothing meant that worried him, she could be in Iraq in a months time, but she'd done it before, she'd told him that, she'd spent two years in the army already so she knew her stuff, that made him feel a bit better about this whole thing.

"Are you ready?" She asked, pulling him out of his daze, "Uh…what?" He asked, distracted.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "You've been distracted all the time lately, you're not even dressed yet Patrick." She stood with her hands on her hips looking at him in her camouflage pants and shirt, she looked so strict, but he smiled.

"Relax Teresa, I'll be ready in 5 minutes." He told her, truthfully knowing it would take him at least 15 to get ready.

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"Unlock the car door."

"No."

"Patrick you can't just lock me in here until the plane leaves."

"Why not?"

"Just unlock the door."

"Don't feel like it."

"Jane, unlock the door!"

Jane chuckled and unlocked the door, "It's been a while since you've called me Jane in that annoyed hiss."

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "It's only used when you get on my nerves." She told him with a glare, but her heart wasn't in it and he knew it.

Lisbon jumped out of the car and Jane followed, carrying her bag into the airport, he waited whilst she checked in and soon they found themselves in a room full of men and women in the same camouflage as Lisbon. They sat for about 10 minutes in silence, Jane with his arm around Lisbon and then a voice called out saying that it was time for the passengers to board the plane.

Lisbon pushed herself onto her tiptoes and kissed Jane, it was more than just a kiss though, she poured her heart and soul into the kiss and as Jane deepened it he did the same. When they broke apart she smiled softly at him, "I'll write to you as often as I can, I promise." She told him.

Jane nodded, he really didn't want to cry, especially when Lisbon herself wasn't crying, "I'll write back. I love you Teresa."

She smiled brightly, "I love you too Patrick." She said and she kissed him one more time before hurrying out of his sight to board the plane.

Feeling more alone than he had in years and with a heavy heart Jane made his way out of the airport and to his car, he sat in the parking lot for a long time, alone.

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_**Letter No. 1**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I've been here for 3 days, sorry I couldn't write sooner, it's kinda strict here. The training has been tough, but don't worry its nothing I can't handle. _

_How are things at the CBI? Have you got a new Boss yet?_

_I love you._

_Teresa._

Jane smiled as he read the letter, he received it a week after she had left, the post was awkward that way, he had just read her letter, but he already had a pen and paper out ready to write his reply.

_**Letter No. 2**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_It's only been a week, but I miss you already. The apartment is so quiet and our bed feels so cold in the morning when I wake up alone. I know you can handle it, you're the strongest person I know._

_Things at the CBI are getting better, Cho took the position, he's our new team leader, it's better than some horrible new strict person, but it's not the same as seeing you everyday. We're getting a new rookie, Van Pelts happy that she's not gonna be the new kid anymore, but she still misses you, the whole team do._

_I love you._

_Patrick._

_P.S - It's a full moon tonight so I'm thinking of you._

From where she was sitting in her barracks at the training camp Lisbon smiled, the letter made her feel so much better about everything.

A woman whom she had become quite close with, Samantha, saw her smile, "Husband?" She asked, but Lisbon shook her head, "Boyfriend." She replied with a grin.

Samantha smiled back and held up a drawing, "My little boy sent me it." She admitted, "Along with a letter, but I think his dad helped him write it."

Lisbon smiled, "It must be hard, leaving him behind."

Samantha nodded, "It is, but I know that when I'm away I'm making the world a better place for him."

"Whats his name?" She asked softly, Samantha smiled as she talked about her son, "Patrick."

Lisbon chuckled, "I guess it's a small world, my boyfriend, he's called Patrick too." She smiled, showing Samantha the letter, she chuckled too, "It really is a small world."

_**Letter No. 3**_

_Dear Patrick, _

_It's been 2 weeks now, training is getting better, the first week was the hardest, but believe it or not I'm actually enjoying myself, you know I like challenges and this is a pretty big one._

_I met a woman here called Samantha, she's such an inspiration, she has a little boy and would you believe it, he's called Patrick! She showed me a photo and he's adorable, but he's only 6 years old. I asked her how she could leave him and she said she knew she was making the world a better place for him. I hope that even though we're apart and I miss you, you know that I'm making the world a better place for you._

_I'm so glad Cho got my old job, he deserves it, he's a damn good Agent. Van Pelt shouldn't be the rookie anymore, she reminds me of how I was when I was a new Agent at SF PD, she's got great potential, as long as she's fortunate enough to land a team without a smart ass consultant._

_I hope I get to come home at the end of training, but like I said I can't guarantee anything._

_I love you._

_Teresa._

_P.S - I thought of you too when I saw the full moon, the next time I see you we can look at one together._

As always the letter brought a smile to Janes face, he was lying on his couch in the bullpen whilst the team bustled around. They were working on a case at the moment, Van Pelt was looking up some stuff on the computer and Rigsby was sitting next to her, keeping her company. Cho was in his new office, the office that he couldn't help but call Lisbons even though she'd been gone for months.

Picking up a pad of paper Jane frowned, he'd lost his pen, "Uh…Grace, can I borrow a pen?"

Van Pelt turned around and smiled at him, "Writing to Lisbon?" She asked as she threw a pen at him.

Jane smiled despite himself, "Yeah." He admitted, putting pen to paper.

_**Letter No. 4**_

_Dear Teresa, _

_I'm glad your enjoying yourself and you're right, I do know you love challenges and I also know that you always overcome any challenge life throws at you._

_As for this Samantha, she obviously has good taste in names then, I bet her kids gonna be a little charmer with a name like that! I'm glad you've made friends, I sleep better at night knowing your not alone in this. You are making the world a better place, not just for me, but for everyone and I love you for it Saint Teresa._

_Cho's doing a good job, but he keeps on saying it should be you in that office, I agree with him every time, even Hightower tried to get you back, she said the teams not functioning as well without you, but the uber Boss won't shift. Your right about Van Pelt and I'm sorry, I know it was my fault you lost your job, but look at all the amazing memories we have from those CBI days._

_I hope we can see each other soon._

_I love you._

_Patrick._

Lisbon felt a tear slide down her cheek at the letter, she didn't know what made her cry, perhaps it was the fact that Jane finally apologised and admitted that it was his fault she was no longer in her office at the CBI or maybe it was just because she missed the team, but she was pretty sure it was tears of gratitude to Hightower for trying to get her job back.

"Teresa, are you alright?" Samantha asked from the bed across from hers, it had been almost 3 weeks since she had come to the training camp and hopefully in one more week she would be home.

Lisbon quickly wiped her eyes, "Yeah, its just-" She held the letter up and Samantha understood, "Yeah, I miss my Patrick too." She admitted, sitting next to Lisbon on her bed, "Hug?"

Lisbon laughed and let Samantha hug her, "Thank you." She whispered.

Samantha shrugged, "We're in this together right?" She asked, Lisbon simply nodded and felt grateful that she had someone like Samantha with her, she didn't think she could do it alone.

**To Be Continued!**

**A/N - Yay a long chapter :D. **

**I warn you, this story will only get sadder as it goes on! The next chapter is going to be very depressing, sorry guys! **

**Thanks for Reading! xxx**


	4. Empty Spirits

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 4 - Empty Spirits  
**

**A/N - I'm just too nice to you guys, i spent 3 hours writing this so I hope you guys enjoy it! This chapter isn't too sad, but at times i was getting teary just writing it, I'm gonna be in floods writing chapter 5! Enjoy the chap! ;D**

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_**Letter No. 5**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I'm far from a Saint, nobody's perfect, you know that better than anyone, YOU'RE the mentalist in this relationship._

_I didn't mean to blame you for the fact that I lost my job, I just meant you riled me up when we worked together. I told you when we were stuck in that crate that I knew that one day you would be the end of my career because of Red John. If I had been in your position I would have acted differently, but I understand why you did what you did._

_You're right, we do have a lot of great memories from the CBI days, if I'm honest they keep me going when I'm missing you here._

_I hope you're doing well, its week 4 here so if we're lucky we'll see each other soon._

_I love you._

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 6**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I got your letter today, its Saturday, you were meant to come home today, but you didn't. Does this mean what I think it does? Their sending you right into the middle of it all?_

_Write back soon._

_I love you always, _

_Patrick._

With a heavy heart Jane made his way to the letterbox outside of the flat he shared with Lisbon, it was still their flat even though she had been gone for a month. He posted the letter as he did regularly and walked back into the flat to hear his cellphone ringing.

No one called his cell unless it was work or Lisbon; hope igniting in his bones he answered the call.

"Hello, this is the United States Army, is this Patrick Jane?"

Jane frowned, why would the army call?, "Uh, yes, that's me."

The polite man on the other end of the phone continued, "I'm calling with news of Teresa Lisbon, you're marked as her emergency contact."

Jane's eyes widened, "I am?"

"Yes, you didn't know?" The man asked.

"No, she didn't mention anything when she filled the forms out." Jane told the man.

"Well, I regret to inform you Mr Jane that the entire unit, including Miss Lisbon are being transferred to Iraq tomorrow."

Janes worst fears had been confirmed by the call, Lisbon wasn't coming back, "Can you say when I'll see her again?"

The man on the other end of the phone must have heard the pain in Jane's voice because he sounded sympathetic, "Miss Lisbon can apply for one week Christmas leave anytime in December."

"December?" Jane asked, unable to stop the tears that were pricking at his eyes, "But that's almost 3 months away!"

"I'm very sorry Mr Jane." The man said.

Jane wiped at his eyes angrily. "Yeah, thanks." He said simply and he hung the phone up.

He didn't know what to do, he didn't know who to talk too so he spoke to Lisbon.

_**Letter No. 7**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I know I just wrote you a letter, I literally just sent it and when I came back from the letterbox it was to talk to some guy on the phone who told me that you weren't going to be home until Christmas._

_I'm scared for you, I'm scared that you're going out there, right into the action, in the middle of the war. _

_I don't want to lose you because I love you too much, losing you would kill me._

_All my love forever,_

_Patrick._

When Janes letter reached her Lisbon was sitting in the back of a truck along with Samantha and the 8 other women who she had shared barracks with, they were a unit now and were trundling along a desert road in Iraq towards their new living quarters.

She suppressed the tears as she read the letter, Janes letters always made her feel sad, not because of the things he said, but because reading the letters made her miss him.

She pocketed the letter as the truck came to a stop, Samantha gave her a small smile, seeing the worry in her eyes.

Taking a deep breath Lisbon jumped out of the truck after the others and looked at their new barracks, they didn't look that bad, sure they were in the middle of the desert, but they weren't the tents she had imagined, they were buildings.

From behind her Sam chuckled, "So not as bad as I imagined." She said, Lisbon turned around with a smile, "My thoughts exactly."

"Enough laughter." The sergeant in charge of their unit barked, "Tomorrow you're going into a nearby town to hunt down a guy we've been tracking who is secretly working for the Taliban, its not going to be fun and its not going to be easy so sleep while you can."

The tough, strict looking woman stalked off, leaving Lisbon and Samantha looking at each other with the same worried looks on their faces.

They got to their barracks and unpacked, as soon as everything was unpacked the rest of the unit got ready to go explore.

Lisbon had become friends with all of the woman, they had lived and trained together closely for a month, it was hard not to get to like everyone, but she had bonded with Samantha more than the others.

"Hey Tess, Sam, you guys coming?" Julia asked from the door, she was in her mid 20's with long red hair, she reminded Lisbon a lot of Grace.

"We'll pass Jules." Samantha replied as she pulled out a pad out of paper.

"Tess, you in?" Julia asked.

Lisbon shook her head, she too was lying on her bed armed with a pad of paper and a pen.

Julia smiled fondly at the two women, "Ah, the two Patrick's beckon." She said knowingly, "Well, see you girls later then." She grinned and followed the others out of the door, leaving Lisbon and Samantha alone.

"Do you think its pathetic Sam?" Lisbon asked, she looked over at her friend who was lying on the bed next to her.

Samantha shook her head, "Not at all." She smiled, "Theres nothing wrong with wanting to talk to the people you love."

Lisbon smiled and put her pen to paper.

_**Letter No. 15**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I miss you more than ever now that we're in Iraq. We got here today and we have our first mission tomorrow, as you know I can't write to you about it in case our letters are intercepted, but I'll tell you everything when I come home._

_The other 8 girls have gone to explore the new barracks, only me and Sam are left writing to our Patricks. The others tease us for it, but I honestly don't know what I would do if I couldn't talk to you._

_Sam misses her son and would do anything to see him, its his birthday today and she can't be there, he's turning 7. I couldn't do it Patrick, if I had a kid I couldn't do it, leaving you is hard enough._

_I love you with all my heart,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 32**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_Grace and Rigsby broke up today, they decided their jobs would always be more important than their relationship, it only took them 3 tries to realise. Hightower talked to me today, she asked me to come to her office so me being the well-behaved consultant I am naturally abided. She sat and looked at me in that patronising way that she does and asked if I was in a sexual relationship with you. I swear Teresa if you had been there you would have killed me, I could have just said yes, but I didn't, I'm saying no more._

_I miss you, as always and I hope to see you soon. Cho keeps glaring at me in that way that you used to always do (but he doesn't look cute like you do when you're glaring) because I'm not paying attention, I'm always too busy writing to you._

_Grace thought it was sweet at first, but she's been acting strange lately, smiling at me in this odd little way a lot and asking me for all this love advice about Rigsby._

_I love you forever,_

_Patrick._

_**Letter No. 48**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_Things are getting tough here, the death threats keep coming in, but none specifically to me so don't worry, I know what you're like. Tensions are rising with all the bombings happening, but so far the only injuries I've had have been minor._

_Sam got leave to see her Patrick, she hasn't seen him since she left to come here, we've been in this together from the start and I'm really lonely here without her.  
_

_Come to think of it, its been 2 months since I saw you, but I remember you perfectly. Most of the girls have photos, but I don't need one, I have memories. I remember the way your eyes light up when your smiling and I remember how your laugh sounds when you wake me up by tickling me in the morning._

_Tomorrow we go on our biggest mission yet and I'm excited, the sergeant who I thought hated me has just given me lead on this one, she reminds me of Hightower in that respect. Is she still asking you about me by the way? I wonder why she's so bothered, I don't work at the CBI anymore and its obvious now that I'm never going to be back._

_Patrick its November 28__th__ here, I'll be home in a month and I can't wait, we can lie in bed doing nothing but talking just like we used to do._

_I love you,_

_Teresa._

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Jane had just checked the post, smiling as he saw a letter addressed to him in Lisbons familiar handwriting, he took it into the kitchen and had just sat down with his cup of tea.

He opened letter number 48 and read it fondly, but before he had a chance to pick up a pen and reply his cell rang.

Jumping up he answered it, "Hello?"

A horribly familiar polite voice spoke to him through the phone, "Good morning sir this is the United States Army, is this Mr Jane speaking?"

Jane felt dread sweep through him, "Yes."

"I regret to inform you that Teresa Lisbon has been shot to the stomach, the bullet missed vital organs and Miss Lisbon should recover quickly, we estimate a week in a special hospital for war wounds." The man said in the same polite tone.

"Will she get to come home?" Jane asked, trying not too, but letting hope slip into his voice and for once the polite voice delivered good news, "If there are no problems at the hospital Miss Lisbon will be sent home for up to 2 weeks paid leave to recover."

"Thank you." Jane said, feeling much better about this phone call than the last one as he ended the call.

He was about to phone Grace to tell her the news, she seemed to be just as worried about Lisbon being in the army as he was, but then he remembered that this wasn't all good news, Lisbon, his Lisbon had been shot. The thing he had dreaded happening had happened.

It was with a heavy heart that he dialled Graces number, "Agent Van Pelt?" She answered, sounding tired.

"Hey Grace, its me." Jane sighed, he felt a little bad, he had probably woken her, it was only 9am on Saturday morning after all.

"Oh, morning Patrick." He could hear the smile in her voice, they had grown close during their late nights in the office, Jane writing to Lisbon and Grace missing Rigsby.

"I just got a call from the army." Jane told the young woman, "Teresa was shot in the stomach, the bullet missed all her vital organs and she's in a war hospital at the moment."

"Oh God, are you alright?" Grace asked, he could practically see her eyes widen and her hands gripping the kitchen bunker.

"Well, she's alive, but this whole thing just makes me want her back for good more than ever." Jane admitted in a rare show of emotion, "The only good news that I got was that she's coming home in a week, for up to 2 weeks paid leave to recover."

Grace grinned at the other end of the phone, "So we get to see her again? Oh Patrick that's brilliant!"

Jane smiled too, "It is, I just hope she's gonna be alright."

"She'll be fine, you know she's strong." Grace told him.

"I know, thanks Grace, I'll see you for coffee tomorrow?"

"Yup, like every other week, see you tomorrow." She said brightly and the phone went dead, just like Lisbon relied on having Sam to keep her sane in Iraq Jane was glad he had Grace here.

_**Letter No. 49**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I'm starting to hate these army phone calls, they always bring bad news. I just heard that you're in hospital, you were shot Teresa, please come home and stay._

_I'll do anything to get you back at the CBI, I don't want you to die, I can't live without you._

_Please come home forever._

_I love you always,_

_Patrick._

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Lying alone in a hospital bed Lisbon longed for Jane, being shot had put a lot of things into perspective and she missed having a more ordinary life. This whole army thing was spontaneous which could be fun, but it was also dangerous, she hadn't accepted that until today.

Her sergeant had told her she was proud and promised her a promotion as she was put on a stretcher and lifted into a helicopter, Sam was crying, but Lisbon was just glad that this wasn't her.

A sniper had his gun trained on Sam, but Lisbon had pushed her out of the way and in the scuffle the gun went off, because of differences in height and the speed of it all the gun aimed at Sams chest had hit Lisbon in the stomach, but _she_ didn't matter, Sam did, Sam had a little boy who loved her.

She told Sam those thoughts through clenched teeth, ignoring the pain from the wound and Sam shook her head, tears falling from her eyes, "I have my little Patrick who loves me, but you have your big Patrick who loves you." She had said.

Her sergeant said she had showed great bravery, a skill that was valued above all others in the army and on a relatively positive note she was on her way to the war hospital, but when she woke up alone in the hospital all she wanted was for Jane to walk through the door grinning at her in the charming way he did with his bright blue eyes sparkling.

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Teresa Lisbon unlocked the door to her apartment and walked in, she dropped her bag in the hallway and took her jacket off. With a deep breath she climbed the stairs to the bedroom, glancing in she saw Jane lying in bed, wearing only boxers, fast asleep.

She grinned at the adorable sight and stripped down to her underwear before slipping into bed next to him, she lay on her side, her hand on his cheek, staring at his face, it had been 2 and a half months since she had seen that face.

Jane opened his eyes and jumped at seeing her there, Lisbon laughed at his reaction and he grinned, grabbing her and tickling her, she burst out laughing, "Patrick stop it!" She squealed through her laughter and he did, only to kiss her deeply, Lisbon smiled against his lips deepening the kiss.

"God I love you so much." Jane whispered as he pulled her closer, his lips inches away from hers, "I've missed you Teresa."

"I've missed you too Patrick." She admitted, looking into those amazingly blue eyes, he smiled brightly and kissed her once more, she laughed as he pushed her down on the bed, "You're not leaving this bed ever again." He told her in a husky voice with a grin and she giggled, "That's fine with me."

"Lets forget about the world." Jane whispered into her hair, "Lets just lie in bed for a week, just me and you."

Lisbon chuckled, "I like the idea but I want to see my old team!" She told him, still smiling, she was ecstatic to see him again, suddenly everything felt better, "You're not the only one I care about." She teased.

He grinned, "But you care about me the most?" He asked, breathing onto her neck and making her shiver, was he _trying _to seduce her? She asked herself and answered herself too, of course he was.

"Of course I do baby." She said, rolling over so that she was closer to him and kissing him, "I love you, so much."

He rested his forehead against hers, "I love you too my amazing hardcore beautiful army girlfriend."

**To Be Continued!**

**A/N - Wow this chapter is long! I hope its not too sad, its happy at the end but from this chapter on, no more cuteness, a lot of sadness and some gory descriptions of war…**

**Oh and the reason for the letters skipping from like 8 to 15 is to show the passing of time, the letters go up to about 60 so i can't write out EVERY one!  
**

**Thanks for Reading! xxx**


	5. Love & War

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 5 -Love & War**

_**A/N - This chapter is SO long and I cried, a lot, as I wrote it cause' I'm pathetic like that! **_

_**The letters go up to 200 in this chapter, but I don't write them all down obviously, that would take forever! **_

_**Oh, I still don't own the mentalist, I don't really own the plot because its based on "Dear John" the movie more than the book cause' I haven't read the book…but I own most of the ideas in the fic!**_

_**Hope you enjoy this chapter ! :D**_

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"I have one week." Lisbon said solemnly to Jane and Grace in a little coffee shop in downtown Sacramento.

Grace smiled, "It's not a lot, but it's something and you'll be back for Christmas?"

"I hope so." Lisbon said, smiling at her old friend, she had missed Grace; they had always been quite close with their yoga lessons after work.

Jane smiled, "You will be, don't worry." He said, slipping his hand into hers, she smiled back, her thank you without words.

"So whats it like?" Grace asked, unable to stop herself, "You know, being in the army?"

Lisbon smiled, "It's great, you don't know what you'll be doing one day from the next. One day Sam and I can spend the whole day just talking and writing to our Patricks and the next we can all be out in the field doing all sorts of stuff."

Jane smiled, he didn't like the fact that she was in the war, but he saw her eyes light up as she talked about it and knew that she enjoyed it, she got a rush out of what she did, just like she had gotten when she caught a bad guy with the CBI.

"What kind of stuff do you do when you're in the field?" Grace asked, seeming very interested in what Lisbon was doing out in Iraq.

Lisbon shrugged, "It varies, sometimes its keeping an eye out for Taliban spies or hunting down known members of the Taliban and dealing with them, but sometimes its just to help people in villages that have been raided, I've saved 23 kids lives." She said proudly, "It's the most amazing feeling when you pick them up and give them to their parents who have searched everywhere for them." Her eyes darkened, "But sometimes you're too late and their already gone."

Jane squeezed Lisbons hand, "You've saved 23 Teresa, you can't save everyone as much as I know you want too."

Lisbon smiled up at the man sitting next to her, "I know." She admitted and she changed the subject to how Grace was doing at the CBI.

Over the next week Lisbon caught up with each of her old colleagues and spent whole days just lying in bed with Jane, talking and laughing and having pillow fights, but all too soon her leave was over and she was in the airport departure lounge again, holding Janes hand as she got ready to board her plane.

The familiar voice called out to the passengers, telling them it was time to board and with a heavy heart Jane pulled Lisbon into a hug, "I love you." He whispered into her ear before kissing her in the way he did when he couldn't contain his emotions. They broke apart, "I love you too." She said and hurried to the door, she turned around and smiled at him, he smiled back and she gave him a little wave before hurrying through the door, out of his sight once more.

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_**Letter No. 53**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_Its almost Christmas which means I'll get to see you soon, I've missed you so much even though its only been a few weeks since I last saw you, I'm so glad you have Grace to help with all of this, I couldn't think of anyone better to take care of you because I know you don't do it yourself._

_Sam and I have our Christmas leave at the same time, she said she would come and visit but I told her not too, she would have to stay overnight as she lives in Nevada and I want her to spend every day she has with her little boy, I spoke to him on the phone, Sam asked if he wanted to talk to his new Aunt Tess, he's such a sweet kid, Sam's so lucky to have him._

_Sorry if you can't read my hand-writing, I'm writing this quickly so I can post it on my way out, a bunch of us are going to have a game of football and considering the fact that my team has won every game so far I'm feeling confident!_

_I love you forever,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 55**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_Its December 20__th__, you said you'll be home for Christmas so I'm hoping to see you soon. As always I'm missing you, but that's nothing new. Grace and I went out for coffee today like we do every Sunday and I found out an interesting thing about Rigsby, guess who he's dating…Have you guessed yet? Nope? WELL, you will be surprised. You remember that mailroom guy that you thought was hot? Well he's Rigsbys boyfriend, yes, Agent Wayne Rigsby swings both ways so it seems._

_Anyway, I love you baby, please come home soon,_

_Patrick._

_**Letter No. 56**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_Stop worrying, I'll be home for Christmas like I promised, just wait and see._

_Rigsby is gay? As in he likes men? WOW. You're right I did not expect that one, did you see it coming Mr. Amazing Mentalist? I bet Grace isn't too happy about that…_

_I WILL be home soon Patrick, I promise._

_All my love,_

_Teresa._

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"Its Christmas Eve tomorrow Grace." Jane moaned as he sat with her at their usual table at their usual coffee place. It was December 23rd and there was no sign of Lisbon who had promised to be home for Christmas.

"Maybe she'll get here on Christmas Eve, she's trying to surprise you, stop moaning." Grace said firmly with a glare that could rival Lisbons.

Jane sighed, "I know that, but I just miss her, I want to see her so much."

"Can I ask you for a favour Patrick?" Grace asked, her tone no longer strict, but sort of fed up. With a frown Jane looked up, "Sure."

"Can we have one coffee morning, just one, where we don't talk about Lisbon and when she'll be back and how much you miss her, please?" Grace asked in a resigned way.

Jane seemed surprised by the question, but after a moment of consideration he nodded, "Yeah, yeah we can. I'm sorry; I guess it just bugs me." He smiled, "Let's talk about something else, like Rigsby and his new boyfriend."

Grace laughed, "Yeah, I can't believe you just walked right up to him and confronted him!"

Jane grinned, "At first he looked confused, then he tried to deny it and then the transition from Agent Rigsby to Wayne Rigsby the tomato began."

This only made Grace laugh more, "I have to say as much as I don't like your little plans and strange quirks, that had to be one of the most hilarious things I've ever seen in my life."

"My strange quirks." Jane commented, smiling a little, his strange quirks were why Lisbon loved him so much, she had told him that through laughter one morning as he tickled her until she was gasping at him through tears of laughter to stop.

Grace recognised the look on his face, he was thinking about Lisbon, she should have known he couldn't go one morning without doing so; he loved her with everything that he had.

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When Teresa Lisbon walked into the apartment she shared with Patrick Jane it was empty and her first thought was that he had left her. Her heart bet faster and as she looked around she was sure it was over, he was gone.

But then she saw his plate in the sink from breakfast and his blue teacup next to the kettle and calmed herself, if he was really gone, he wouldn't have left his favourite blue teacup, it meant everything to him. One lonely night Jane had confided to her that his daughter had given him that teacup for his birthday and that was why he loved it so much.

She dumped her bag in the bedroom and unpacked everything and by the time she was done it was lunchtime. After a quick sandwich for lunch she tidied the house and when the clock hit 4pm she set about making some dinner, by the time the two plates were on the table and the wine was poured it was nearly half past 6, and still no Jane.

She knew he wasn't working today, so she wondered whether he was out with the team, but she didn't call, she wanted to surprise him. The dinner had been on the table for 5 minutes when the door opened and he walked in, Lisbon walked out of the kitchen, "Hey." She said shyly and as soon as he saw her he grinned and lifted her up into a crushing hug, "You're back!"

Lisbon laughed, "Yeah and I'm being crushed to death."

Jane set her back on her feet only to capture her lips in a passionate kiss, she pulled away, "We'll continue this later, but for now dinner awaits." She said.

Jane grinned, walking into the kitchen and saying, "Wow." Lisbon had put a few candles out and laid a red tablecloth on the table, she shrugged, embarrassed, "I just thought it would be nice."

"It's wonderful." He said, smiling as her cheeks flushed, "And not romantic at all." He teased, making Lisbon laugh and sit down, "Of course not, after all Patrick you know I don't_ do_ romantic."

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"I want that one." Jane begged, pointing at a huge pine tree, "It's so cool."

"And it's too big to fit through the door of the flat." Lisbon told him, "Lets get that one, it's a better size for the flat."

"But Teresaaaaa, I want that one!" Jane said.

"You sound like a 5 year old." Lisbon said as she rolled her eyes at him, she turned to the guy in charge, "We'll take the medium one." She said kindly and he nodded and went to get it.

Jane sighed, "Fine." He accepted, "BUT I get to pick the decorations."

Lisbon laughed, "Sure."

After picking out their tree and fitting it into the back of Jane's car (which wasn't easy) Jane and Lisbon made their way down to the shops and as she had promised Lisbon let Jane pick all the decorations. They went for lunch and then split up to buy each others Christmas presents, they had left it a little late since it was Christmas Eve, but they didn't mind, Lisbon liked it when the shops were busy and the streets buzzing with Christmas spirit, what was the point in buying your Christmas presents in October? There was no fun in that!

They met up just after 4 and went home, they ordered in a Chinese and brought the covers from their bed down to the couch where they spent the whole night watching cheesy Christmas movies, Janes favourite being "The Grinch" and Lisbons being "Miracle on 34th Street." Lisbon fell asleep halfway through Santa Claus 3 and Jane smiled at her peaceful form sleeping in his arms, he lifted her up, she seemed so fragile even though he knew how strong she was and carried her to bed, she rolled over and mumbled his name before going back to sleep and Jane climbed into bed next to her.

The next morning Lisbon was woken up by Jane jumping on their bed, shouting, "It's Christmas Teresa!" Eventually Lisbon hit him behind his knees and he fell back onto the bed, the sight made Lisbon laugh harder than ever and after a furious pillow/tickling fight Jane grabbed Lisbon and flung her over his shoulder.

"Put me down right now Patrick Jane or I will shoot you!" She squealed as he carried her down the stairs, "Oh I don't think the army would approve dear." He said casually as she hit his back with her fists, he knew she wasn't really annoyed because she was laughing.

He eventually put her down on the sofa when they got downstairs and channelling his inner child Jane sat cross-legged on the floor by the tree, "Present time?" He asked with a grin.

Lisbon couldn't say no to that smile so she laughed and plopped herself down on the floor across from him, "Present time." She agreed, handing him one of the things she had bought him the day before.

Like a little kid Jane ripped the paper off as fast as possible, the present was a key ring that made him laugh, it was a little brown couch, one that looked identical to his beloved couch at the CBI, "Where did you find this?" He asked and Lisbon only grinned mischievously at him, "You'll never know." She said, "I thought it suited you perfectly."

Jane leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips, "You thought right, it's definitely going on my car keys."

Lisbon chuckled and Jane handed her his first parcel, she didn't rip the paper as fast as she could like Jane had, she opened it slowly and carefully. Inside the wrappings was a long box, she opened it and gasped, inside the box were two necklaces, both very different, but also both very beautiful.

One she recognised immediately as an Egyptian symbol, the 'T' shape with the oval above it, the symbol and the chain were both gold. The second she knew was some sort of cultural necklace from New Zealand, a fishhook made of jade stone with a black threaded chain.

"They are both beautiful." Lisbon told Jane with a smile.

Jane grinned, "They both represented you so well that I couldn't decide which one to buy so I bought both." He laughed, "That one-" he pointed at the Egyptian symbol, "Is the symbol of Ankh, its Egyptian and it means eternal life, it's said to protect the wearer from all dangers."

Lisbons eyes met his and the happiness of the day was gone for a moment, "I don't need protection." She told him softly, his eyes softened, "I'm scared for you." Lisbon shuffled over on the floor so that she was sitting next to him, she kissed him on the cheek, "Don't be." She said, "I'm a big girl, I can look after myself."

He nodded, "I know, but I still worry." Jane admitted, Lisbon smiled, "Don't and let's not talk about this today, its Christmas."

Jane nodded, "You're right, it is Christmas and the other necklace is a Maori fishhook symbol by the way." He said, changing the subject away from the depressing thoughts of Lisbon dying to something more positive, "It represents strength, determination, peace and good health." He smiled.

Lisbon laughed, "Strength and determination, spot on."

Jane smiled properly at her, "Exactly." He said.

Lisbon dipped under the tree again, pulling out a large box, Janes eyes widened and he ripped the paper off the package, he laughed, "That's brilliant Teresa." He said as soon as he saw the box, it was a stargazer's ball.

Lisbon smiled, "I remembered the time we went up to the highest hill we could find before I left for training and just lay watching the stars like you used to with your dad and when I saw this I thought it was perfect. All you have to do is plug it in and you have the night sky on your ceiling, you can look up at the same sky I'll be looking at and it won't seem like we're that far apart." She blushed in the way she always did when she was embarrassed, but Jane thought it was adorable, "It's the best idea ever." He grinned, kissing her on the cheek and handing her another present.

Lisbon opened it as slowly as possible just to annoy Jane and when she had unwrapped the gift she laughed, it was a cute idea and it made her laugh. The gift was a large framed star like those on the Hollywood walk of fame, but it had her name inside it and instead of a microphone or a camera in the middle there was an army hat. Underneath the star there was a section that had the date when it was awarded, the day she joined the army and in the space for a personal message Jane had written, "For being the bravest, most selfless person I know. I love you, Patrick."

Lisbon grinned, "I don't know where you get your ideas for Christmas presents." She said as she chuckled.

Jane grinned back, "Do you like it?" He asked.

"I love it." Lisbon told him, following her statement with a kiss.

They lounged around for the rest of the morning and then went to Graces for Christmas dinner with the team. Graces cooking was amazing and Rigsby brought his boyfriend from the mailroom, Brandon. Lisbon had smiled and shook his hand, trying so hard not to laugh, but Jane hadn't been able to contain himself, he had to excuse himself and laugh silently on Graces patio, Grace had excused herself a few minutes later and Lisbon smiled as she heard them laughing on the patio, poor Rigsby. Of course whilst Grace and Jane had been laughing at the mans expense Lisbon was left with him, his boyfriend, Cho and Elise so she spent a while catching up with Elise, a few drinks and luckily no arguments later she and Jane got a taxi home and sat up watching old movies again.

Lisbon smiled and snuggled closer to Jane's chest, "This has been the best Christmas ever." She told him sleepily.

Jane placed a soft kiss to her forehead, "It has indeed." He agreed and closed his eyes, falling asleep with Teresa Lisbon in his arms.

**

* * *

**

_**Letter No. 57**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I just got back, it was great to see the girls again, especially Sam, but after the most amazing Christmas ever with you it doesn't compare. I miss you already and I'm sorry I couldn't stay for New Years, but I hope you have fun at the CBI New Year's party! I already told Grace to make sure you didn't get too drunk and embarrass yourself so you're in the clear._

_I don't know when I'll next get leave, probably not until my service needs to be renewed after the end of a year, I've used up 3 of my 4 weeks holiday so if things are quiet around here I'll come back to see you on your birthday in June, you're going to be 40 and I'll be 36 in February, I'm starting to feel old!_

_I love you,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 75**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I miss you so much it hurts. Its January now, a month since I last saw you. A lot is happening here, Hightower left and Minnelli popped back in to see us all again, he was just looking after the place for a week until the new Boss gets into town, he asked how you were, admitted with a bit of a red face that he misses you. But he said one of the strangest things, APPARENTLY my behaviour has improved since he last saw me, I told him it must be the influence of my new girlfriend, he asked who I was dating and when I told him…boy did he go mad. He warned me to be good to you or else he would hunt me down._

_These letters seem to be getting shorter, but I don't know why. Are we running out of things to say? I watched your favourite movie today so I'm channelling my inner Gerard Butler in this letter._

_I miss you and I can't wait to see you again,_

_Patrick._

_P.S - I love you. _

_**Letter No. 92**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_It's February, almost 2 months since I saw you. Things here are getting harder, the Taliban found our barracks so we had to move, we're living in tents now and theres a sandstorm heading this way, not good at all, but we're coping and that's the main thing._

_One of my unit, I'm not sure if I told you about her, but her name is Julia and she reminds me a lot of Grace, she took a bullet for me yesterday and she's in hospital now, the wounds are bad and she's resigned from the army, I'm so thankful to her, she saved my life. But theres only 9 of us now and I'm scared that the number is only going to continue to decrease._

_The girls are organising some little get together for my birthday, they think I don't know, but they forget I used to be a cop and that my boyfriend is a mentalist, I can tell their up to something. Usually it would annoy me, but here when it's just us alone in a tent in the desert I really appreciate the effort._

_All my love, always and forever,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 93**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I'm sending this a week before your birthday so I hope that you get this before then. Enclosed is your present, I hope you like it, I saw it and thought of you._

_I hope you have a great time at the party your unit a throwing for you, I bet you have amazing bonds with every single one of them and I'm sorry about Julia, but you have a point, Grace would take a bullet to save someone she loved, hell Grace would take a bullet just to save someone period, she reminds me of you in that sense, so brave and selfless. _

_I hope you don't mind, but I showed her your letter, she got a bit teary and asked me to tell you that what you said meant a lot to her so I kept my promise. Rigsby and Brandon are still going strong which is…well odd to be honest and Cho finally proposed to Elise, it took him long enough! It seems that for everyone around me life is going on, but I'm frozen until I see you again._

_I love you,_

_Patrick._

Lisbon smiled through the tears as she read the letter, she slipped her hand into the envelope again and pulled out the gift he had sent her for her birthday, there were two things, the first was a bar of Hershey's chocolate, her absolute favourite, he knew that it was tough to get quality food in the army, it wasn't that the food was bad, but you couldn't just walk into a shop and buy a bar of chocolate like you could back home so she really appreciated the little snack. The second gift was a small candle, it was shaped like a latte coffee in a glass with cream and the wick was on top of the cream, the candle even smelled like coffee, she loved it because there was no coffee here and she loved the beverage, but also because she loved candles, she had lots at home, but none here and she hoped the little coffee candle would make their makeshift tent seem just a little bit more homely.

_**Letter No. 106**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_March now, time sure flies at this end of the letters, but I guess its going slower for you. I spoke to my sergeant today, she's just promoted me to Corporal Teresa Lisbon, how professional does that sound? So much better than Private Teresa Lisbon! But she asked me to decide if I was going to sign up for another 2 years when my first year ends in October, I want to stay because I love this job, but I want to come home to you too, I don't know what to do Patrick._

_All my love, forever,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 128**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_April already, you would love the view from our bench in the park. Springs coming, your favourite season and the change from winter to spring in Sacramento is, as always, beautiful, but not as beautiful as you. _

_I eventually got the Christmas photos developed, I got two copies and framed mine, yours are enclosed in the envelope with this letter._

_The months are dragging by so slowly and the flats lonely without you, your presence is all around in the simple things, like your favourite mug in the cupboard and the perfume that you forgot on your dresser, the bed still smells of you._

_I fall asleep worrying about you every night, I hope I can see you soon._

_I love you always,_

_Patrick._

Lisbon smiled at the photos Jane had put in the envelope with the letter, they were taken on his camera at Graces christmas dinner, the first two photo's were of her and Jane, he had his arm around her and they both looked so happy, there were a few photos of everyone and of the old team, there were couple photos too, like Rigsby and his boyfriend Brandon, Sam got a laugh out of that photo, but Lisbon felt proud to show the photos to the rest of the unit, these were the people she cared about the most in the whole world, Sam was one too, but Lisbon didn't need a photo of her because she was lucky enough to see her everyday._  
_

_**Letter No. 142**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_Its getting hotter here, it's hot all year round, but these months are the worst. It's your birthday in two months and I hope I can get some leave to come and see you then. Have the April showers eased off in Sacramento yet? Mays my favourite month, it's the month when all new life blooms and the park looks beautiful at this time of year, go there and sit on our bench and think of me, whilst your there I'll lie in bed and close my eyes and even though we're miles apart, I'll be with you._

_I love you,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 154**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_Its June now and the flowers at the park are in full blossom, its easy to look at them and imagine I'm with you, even though your half the world away._

_It's a full moon tonight, I saw it from Graces porch, she invited me over for a drink and a chat, but all I ended up thinking about all night was you, I think its starting to annoy her, how whenever I see her I tell her about your latest letter, but I can't help it, no one else listens to me like she does._

_I love you forever,_

_Patrick._

_**Letter No. 168**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I can't make it home for your birthday and there aren't any shops here so I can't buy you anything, I'm so sorry, but things here have just got really bad. I can't tell you too much through letters as you know, but the bombings and raids have gotten personal, the unit is extending for another 2 years and I've been in this with them from the beginning, I can't leave them now. I won't be back for good in October, I've signed up for 2 more years, I'm sorry._

_I've loved you from the day I met you and I will until the day I die,_

_Teresa._

_**Letter No. 169**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I'm sorry that you felt you had to do that and that things are getting hard, but I just can't go on without you anymore, its August and I won't see you until the end of October, will you even be able to stay long? _

_I love you,_

_Patrick._

_**Letter No. 199**_

_Dear Patrick,_

_I'm not coming home, the entire unit were meant to have 2 weeks leave, but something came up, something big and important. Something that involves the President and the possible death of many citizens of Washington DC, I have to stay. I'm sorry._

_I love you,_

_Teresa._

After saving the whole of Washington DC and the President from a planned Taliban bombing attempt Lisbon didn't receive any letters, her sergeant came through with the mail once a week, giving Sam a letter for each day as always, but nothing for Lisbon.

In fact the rest of October passed and still no letters, November flew by and no letters came, Sam comforted Lisbon who was sure that Jane had just given up on her and on December 1st the units sergeant walked in with the mail, she handed out letters to Sam and a letter to the usual girls, Lisbon wasn't even paying attention, she didn't expect to get letters anymore, but the woman called out, "Teresa, one for you." and threw it her way.

Lisbon was surprised, but she had fast reflexes and easily caught the letter, her breath hitched in her throat when she saw her name written neatly in Jane's familiar handwriting and with shaking hands she opened the letter.

_**Letter No. 200**_

_Dear Teresa,_

_I know it's been far too long since I last wrote to you. I've been staring at a blank page with my pen poised for 2 hours, well, if I'm honest, two months. I hope you can forgive me for what I'm about to say, but if you never do, I understand. I want you to know that this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do, harder than letting go of my wife, harder than watching Red John taunt me. My time with you has been amazing, I've loved you through everything, you made me the man I am today, without you I would be a shell of revenge and despair, but I can't live my life just waiting anymore. _

_During the last 2 months I met someone and its not fair to lie to you, I'm sorry for everything I've ever put you through, all the pain I've caused you and for what I'm about to say._

_I won't see you for 2 years at a time, maybe brief one week periods and it's just not enough, I need someone who will be there all the time, someone who I can rely on to be there every morning when I wake up. _

_I admire you for what you do and I love you for your bravery, but this just can't go on any longer._

_I'll always love you and I'm so sorry,_

_Patrick._

Tears pricked at Lisbons eyes, angry tears, she was out here, living in a tent, sleeping in a sandy bed, eating whatever food she and the unit could find to get by, the only thing getting her through was the thought of seeing him and he had just met someone else, someone that he could rely on, wasn't it good enough that when she was home they had amazing times? Obviously not.

The tears fell from her eyes as she picked up the box of letters from Jane that she kept under her bed, Sam frowned as she stood up and left the tent, she hurried after her friend and was surprised to see her throwing the letters into the fire that they cooked their meals on outside their makeshift home.

"Tess, whats going on?" Sam asked gently, sitting down on the hard sand next to the woman.

Lisbon threw another letter into the fire violently, "He met someone." She choked out.

Sam's eyes filled with realisation, "Oh, oh, I'm sorry Tess."

Lisbon shook her head and threw another letter into the fire, she was done with this, she was fed up with him, it wasn't working out anyway, she told herself all these lies to make it easier to deal with, but she knew in her heart that it would never be easy to deal with because she loved Patrick Jane with her whole heart and love like that doesn't die out easily, no matter how much you want it too.

_**To Be Continued**_

_**A/N - I did warn you that it would get sad =[ Its only gonna get worse as well, I don't like writing sad stories, I cry as I write them! This is a challenge for me cause' I'm all about fluff and cuteness, but I hope the whole sad story thing is working out alright for me!**_

_**This chapter took me like 4 hours to write, I think its officially the longest chapter I've ever written, its like 15 pages on Microsoft word! But I'm actually halfway there to finishing this as its going to have 9 chapters and an epilogue if all goes to plan!**_

_**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, thanks for reading! xxx**_


	6. The Definition of 'Home'

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 6 -The Definition of 'Home'**

_**A/N - Hello again, after complaints I tried to make this more in character to Lisbon, I wasn't aware it had been OOC in the last few chapter to be honest, but I tried harder with this one so I hope it shows.**_

_**Another long chapter for you my lovelies & I hope you enjoy it!**_

_**

* * *

**_

After burning every single letter from Jane and every photo of him she could find Lisbon walked back into the makeshift tent that she and her unit were staying in and smiled brightly at them, this was a new start, no more Patrick Jane.

_**2 Years Later…**_

Teresa Lisbon stepped off the plane in San Francisco for the first time in 3 and a half years, she hadn't been home since she received a letter from Jane saying he had met someone new. She had spent her Christmases and her leave with Sam and her little boy, little Patrick wasn't little anymore though, he was 9 years old now, but not long after Lisbons letter of rejection had come in the post Sam had come home from leave with the news that her husband was leaving her, he too had met someone new in the year and a half she had been in Iraq without leave, she was gutted of course, but the wounds began to heal over time and she still had Patrick.

However for the first time in 3 years Lisbon was going home to visit Tommy in Sacramento and her other two brothers in Malibu. She had worried about coming back to the city, but as soon as she saw Tommy waiting for her she knew her worries were silly. She waved at him and he hurried over, hugging her as tight as he could, "I missed you." He said shyly, Lisbon laughed, "Yeah, I missed you too Tommy." She said.

Tommy grinned at her and grabbed her bag, leading her out of the airport to his car, "You're staying with me for the full two weeks, I'm not letting you back to that apartment and be alone." Tommy ordered, "So have you done any cool ninja stunts in the army yet?"

Lisbon laughed as she watched him put her bag in the boot and get into the car, she climbed into the passenger seat next to him, "No Tommy, believe it or not you don't do ninja stunts in the army."

Tommy smiled cheekily at her, "Is it like COD?" He asked.

Lisbon raised an eyebrow at him, "Did you really just ask me if the army is like fish?"

Tommy laughed, "No Tess, Call of Duty, the videogame for the Xbox…"

Lisbon made a face, "How would I know? I hate videogames."

"Very true." He said as he started the car, "I've booked your favourite restaurant for dinner tonight, Mark and Andrew are meeting us there, they couldn't come for the airport pick-up cause' they're working."

"Two things." Lisbon said as she looked suspiciously at her brother, "1.) You managed to get everyone to come together when we haven't spoken for years? And 2.) Shouldn't you be at work too?"

Tommy smirked, "In answer to your questions dearest sister, yes I called them and told them you'd been in Iraq and were coming home for the first time in 3 years and they wanted to see you in case you died when you went back."

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "Those two are just charming." She muttered, but Tommy ignored her comment and continued, "And I should be at work, but my new job allows much more freedom."

Lisbon looked shocked, "You don't work for the police anymore?"

"I don't." He confirmed, "I work for the CBI."

Lisbon grinned, "Wow Tom, that's great! Well done." She said happily, "What unit?"

"Special Crimes." He answered and Lisbons eyes widened, "My old unit! Is it the same 3 Agents?"

Tommy frowned, "Uh I don't think so, Agent Samson, Agent Alistair and Agent Ronson?"

"No." Lisbon said, confused that the old team was no longer intact after only 3 years, "I worked with Agent Van Pelt, Agent Rigsby and Agent Cho, we had a consultant too."

Tommy hmm-ed, "Well Agent Van Pelt got married and transferred to Organised crimes along with Agent Cho, Agent Rigsby was relieved of his duty and I think the consultant quit."

Lisbon was still frowning in confusion, "Why was Rigsby relieved of his duty?"

Tommy frowned too, clearly trying to remember, "Uh, I think it was a charge of assault."

Lisbons eyes popped out of her head, "Assault? That doesn't sound like him; my God a lot can change in 3 years."

"I guess so, sorry about your team Tess." Tommy said, but Lisbon tried to shrug it off, "Life goes on."

**

* * *

**

"Tessie!"

Lisbon grinned at the two men calling her name from their table as she entered the restaurant, they didn't look much different, their hair a little greyer and their eyes a little more tired, but they both had kids, that was to be expected.

"Andrew, Mark." She greeted them, hugging them both, she hadn't realised until now just how much she had missed the two guys, she had seen Tommy regularly, but she had only seen Andrew and Mark on Christmases or birthdays or thanksgivings.

She sat down across from them and Tommy sat down next to her, "I think the four of us have a lot of catching up to do." He joked.

Lisbon smiled in agreement, "Yeah, Tommy got promoted to the CBI." She told the others proudly, Andrew smiled, "Good one little brother." and Mark smirked at Lisbon, "Following in the footsteps of Saint Teresa here." He joked.

Tommy laughed, "I'd love to be as successful as she was." He said honestly, making Lisbon smile gratefully at him.

"Didn't you get fired though?" Andrew asked, a look of confusion on his face, but no malice, he just didn't think about what he was saying very often.

Lisbon nodded, "Yeah, it wasn't really my fault though."

Tommy stepped in for her, "Patrick Jane, her consultant, killed Red John and got away with self defence, but Tess' boss wanted it to look like they were doing something about the issue so he fired Tess since she was the guys supervising Agent, basically Jane's an ass."

"Sounds like one." Andrew seconded and Mark agreed with a nod.

Lisbon looked down at the table to hide the look of sadness in her eyes that came with talking about the man, "Yes, he is indeed." She agreed.

"So how long have you been in the army for?" Mark asked as the waiter came with their drinks.

Lisbon sipped her wine, "3 years." She answered.

Andrew asked, "How many times have you been shot?"

Lisbon chuckled, "Just once."

Marks eyes widened, "When was this? Why did we not hear about it?"

Lisbon shrugged, "It was about 2 and a half years ago, just after I'd joined. You didn't hear because at the time my emergency contact was Patrick."

"Jane?" Mark asked, looking at his older sister suspiciously.

Lisbon looked at Tommy for help so he answered, "They dated, but he met someone else when she was in the army."

"Makes sense." Andrew said, "Must have been desperate for some."

The comment really hurt Lisbon and Tommy and Mark both saw this, shooting glares at the clueless man, but Lisbon covered it up fast with a faked chuckle.

Luckily the waiter came to ask for their orders and saved them from a lot of awkwardness.

The night went on smoothly after that with only a few stupid comments from Andrew and when the family left the restaurant Lisbon hugged Andrew and Mark, "See you in another 3 years." She joked, they laughed and bade her well for when she went back to Iraq, she thanked them and got in a taxi with Tommy.

That night she slept well for the first time in a long time and when she woke up to find that Tommy had made pancakes and a pot of coffee her mood improved by tenfold.

"Thanks for helping out last night Tom, you know with the whole Patrick thing." Lisbon said as she sipped coffee.

Tommy placed the plate of pancakes in front of her, "No problem sis." He said with a smile as he sat down across from her, Lisbon smiled back and was about to tuck into her pancakes when she stopped, a memory flashed through her head. She and Jane had pancakes on the day before she left for army training, before everything had gotten messed up.

"Tess, you okay?" Tommy asked and Lisbon realised she was crying, she quickly wiped her face, "Sorry Tommy it's just…me and Patrick had pancakes before I left." She shook her head, "It's silly, sorry." She said again and began to eat her pancakes.

Tommy wanted to comfort her but he knew that all she wanted to do was pretend nothing hadhappened so he let her.

The days flew by as Tommy took Lisbon around parts of Sacramento she had loved to go when she was younger and let her live again, be herself again, she appreciated it so much, but she had too much fun because all too soon it was her last day.

They were in the car, on their way to the airport, it was 8am in the morning and her flight was at lunch, but she had asked if Tommy could go by her apartment, she said she had some things she wanted to pick up, but it was a lie, she wanted to see if there were any remainders of Jane.

Tommy offered to come in with her, but Lisbon shook her head, "I won't be long, just wait in the car." She smiled and hurried up to her apartment; she unlocked the door and walked in.

She couldn't quite believe her eyes at first, the apartment looked like she had just left it, but there was something missing, everything was in the place it had been left, but there wasn't two of anything anymore.

In the hallway there was one coat on the hanger, one pair of shoes on the shoe-rack. In the living room there was one coaster on the coffee table. In the kitchen there was one placemat on the table, one coffee mug on the kitchen counter. Looking at the mug made something spark in Lisbons veins, something that she recognised as hope, she opened every cupboard in the kitchen and looked in the dishwasher and the sink, but there wasn't a blue teacup and that was when it really sunk in for Lisbon that Jane wasn't ever coming back, he had taken his most prized possession from their apartment, just as she had dreaded he would.

Lisbon walked up the stairs, in the bathroom there was only one toothbrush, only female shampoo and body wash. The last room she walked into was the bedroom, the bed was made, but there was only a book on one of the bedside tables, there was only one set of drawers, only one half of the dresser occupied.

Lisbon let the tears fall because walking into this apartment felt so wrong, it felt like Jane had never been there at all, it felt like she had been living alone when she left this place when in reality she had left a home she had shared with the man she loved and now coming back to it, it felt nothing like a home at all, it felt like a prison.

Jane had taken everything he owned, he had been careful not to leave a trace of himself in the apartment and that broke Lisbons heart. She went into the drawers to grab some extra clothes and when she had pulled out a few T-shirts and pairs of trousers the bottom drawer of the dresser was empty and she noticed that there was a secret compartment underneath it. Confused Lisbon pulled it open and put her hand inside the hole; she pulled out a small black velvet box and opened it.

Lisbon gasped, inside the box was a ring, an engagement ring, a beautiful gold ring with a small, but beautiful diamond, her tears fell faster and harder and she put her hand into the compartment again, pulling out a letter.

_Dear Teresa,_

_If you're finding this its because I'm gone and you came back to this place to get some more clothes, I wonder how long it will be before you come back and find this, maybe you never will, but if you never do then you'll never read this so I'll never know, are you confused yet? I am._

_I couldn't give her this ring, not the ring I bought for you, its made for your slender fingers, it would look beautiful on your hand only so I want you to have it, do what you want with it, but I can't keep it, its just a remainder of what could have been._

_I was going to propose when you came home in October, I'm sorry Teresa, I hope one day you can forgive me._

_I will love you as long as I live,_

_Patrick._

The letter made more tears fall from Lisbons eyes and she couldn't take it anymore, she couldn't be in this apartment anymore, holding the letter in one hand and the box in the other she left with her extra clothes, locking the door and not looking back.

When she dumped the clothes in the backseat of the car and got into the passengers seat Tommy freaked, "Why are you holding a ring and crying?"

Lisbon showed the note to her brother who fumed, "You're getting over him and he leaves this! Is he trying to torment you? Does this guy get a kick out of hurting you?"

"Calm down Tommy." Lisbon said as the tears subsided, "I think he just wanted me to know that him meeting someone was an accident, he didn't mean for things to be this way, but they turned out differently than he expected."

"Its not fair on you Tess." Tommy said.

Lisbon nodded, "I know its not Tom, but Patricks never been fair on me, I'm used to it." She glanced at her watch, "We better hurry or I'll miss my flight."

"Sorry." Tommy mumbled, but Lisbon smiled, "Don't be, I can take care of myself." He nodded, "You can." He agreed and he started the car and their drive to San Francisco airport.

"I'll miss you Tess." Tommy said a few hours later as he hugged her goodbye at the airport, Lisbon didn't cry for once unlike Tommy, "I had a great two weeks and I'll miss you too Tom, I love you." He smiled, "Love you too Sis, see you soon?"

Lisbon shrugged, "2 years max." She smiled as the woman at the desk said it was the last call for boarding, she hugged Tommy again; "See ya Tom."

Tommy waved after her, "See ya Tess." He said, but she was too far away to hear him.

**

* * *

**

_**2 Years Later…**_

"Corporal Lisbon, can I see you in my office?" Lisbons Sergeant asked as she walked into the barracks to deliver the units letters, the unit that had once consisted of 10 was now down to 7, Julia had left years ago and just two days after Lisbon came back from her leave to see her brothers two years ago Samara and Francis were killed in an explosion.

Lisbon nodded, a little confused, she hadn't done anything worth getting reprimanded for, what could the sergeant possibly want to talk to her about? She followed her down the hall and once she was in the woman's office and the door was closed the news came out.

"I'm sending you home for two weeks compassionate leave, it doesn't count as included in your 4 weeks leave you get each year, understood?" The woman asked.

Lisbons heart-rate sped up, "Compassionate leave Ma'am?"

The woman's strict expression quavered, "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you Lisbon, but your brother has cancer."

Lisbons world came crashing down that day and when she boarded the plane the next day with her bags she realised that she had nowhere to go, nowhere to go apart from her lonely flat, the flat with so many memories.

**

* * *

**

"I'm here to see Thomas Lisbon." Lisbon told a nurse as she walked into San Francisco hospital, the last time she had been in here was 5 years ago with Jane; on the day he had captured Red John and got shot in the arm in the process.

She shook the thought out of her head as the Nurse said, "Are you family?"

"Yes, I'm his sister, Teresa Lisbon." She answered; the woman gave her a sympathetic look, probably because she seemed so distracted, "Your brother is in room 204 Miss Lisbon." She said.

Lisbon thanked the woman and got the lift to the second floor, once there she walked across the hall and down to room 204, Tommy was with the CBI now, he had a room to himself, the nice folk there covered health insurance.

Taking a deep breath she walked into the room, shocked to see her little brother looking so different, so sick, so old. She cried when she saw him, lying there asleep, bald with bags under his eyes and pale skin, this didn't look good for him.

She sat by his side and held onto his hand, she had only been there for about 10 minutes when he woke up, his tired eyes lit up when he saw her, "Tess, you're here."

Lisbon nodded, tears falling as she did so, "Two weeks compassionate leave Tom."

He smiled, "I'm glad you could make it, I didn't want you to be half the world away when I died."

Lisbon only cried more at his words, "You're not going to die Tom." She said weakly.

Tommy just smiled, somewhat sadly at her, "Yes I am Tess, why do you think they gave you compassionate leave? The Doc says I have a few days left."

"A few _days_?" Lisbon asked, her voice breaking, Tom squeezed her hand, "I'm not in pain Tess and I guess its just time."

"Its not time." Lisbon choked out, "You're not meant to die first Tom, you're the baby." Her tears were now uncontrollable, "You're the one whose carefree and lives life to the full, I'm the one who should be dying, you're the youngest."

"These things happen Tess, you can't prevent them and you can't blame yourself." He said as calm as ever, even in the face of death he was calm.

"What will I do without you Tom? Mom died when you were 4 and Dad when you were 8, I've loved you like my own for my entire life, you've been there through all my mistakes when everyone else abandoned me, I can't imagine my life without you." She admitted in a cascade of tears.

Tommy patted the bed next to him and she sat next to him, like they used too as kids, "It was always the other way around Tess, you were always the one consoling me after a bad dream."

"My life is a bad dream Tom." She sighed as she hugged him.

"But it will get better." He said, "You'll fall in love and get married and have cute little kids!" He tried to cheer her up, but she only shook her head, more tears falling.

"I'm too old for any of that now." She said, Tommy scoffed, "Tessie you're only 41."

"No one has kids at 41." She sighed, "But it doesn't matter anyway Tommy, what matters is if I do get married you won't be there to walk me down the isle and if I do have a baby you won't be there to say I look a mess and make me laugh." The tears fell faster than ever.

"Maybe not Tess, but I'll be in a higher place watching your every move and I'll be proud when I see you become a wife and a mother and I'll tell all my heavenly friends when you get promoted to Brigadier General." Tommy joked.

Lisbon laughed, "Like that will happen."

Tommy shrugged, "Who knows where life will take you Tess, you can be anything you wanna be."

"I love you Tommy." She sighed, hugging her little brother again.

Tommy grinned, "I love you too Sis." He said brightly and Lisbon said she would stay that night, she ate horrible hospital food with him and they laughed at old memories and talked until late at night, then Tommy fell asleep and Lisbon held his hand, falling asleep in the seat next to his bed.

She woke up much later when the hospital room was dark to Tommy squeezing her hand, she looked at him in confusion and he smiled, "I want you to be happy Tess, all I want is for you to be happy because you brought me and the boys up so well that you made us happy everyday and you've not had that chance, you make everyone around you so happy, but your not, just be happy Tessie, promise me that."

Lisbon nodded, tears falling as she realised Tommy didn't have much time, "I promise Tom."

Tommy smiled, "Love you sis." He mumbled as his eyes slid shut and Lisbon knew that he was gone before he could hear her say, "I love you too Tom, so much."

**

* * *

**

It was December 20th when Tommy died, right before Christmas and because he loved Christmas Eve and snow Lisbon and her brothers set the funeral for December 24th, no one came, just them, it was a small private ceremony.

Lisbon stood with a warm winter coat, a scarf, a hat and gloves on, it so rarely snowed in Sacramento, yet on the night of the 20th the snow began and had been consistent for 4 days, Lisbon was sure it was Tommy, but her brothers weren't convinced.

It was so cold she felt as though her tears would freeze on her cheeks as she watched Tommys coffin being lowered into the ground, Mark was holding her hand, he too was crying and Andrew was a little more contained, but it was clear that the loss of his youngest brother affected him more than he let on.

It had affected them all, Tommy was the youngest, this shouldn't have happened to him. He was only 33, his death was such a shock to them all and Lisbon knew for a fact that Mark and Andrew felt guilty that they hadn't been at the hospital when Tommy died. It had set them apart a little bit, it had always been Lisbon who had been close to Tommy and she had been there when he died without telling them, but it had been fast, he had spoken and 5 minutes later he was gone, she knew there was no way Mark and Andrew could have got from their family homes in Malibu to San Francisco in 5 minutes.

Tommy's burial was at St. Mary's Cemetery, where their mother and father were both buried, Tommy had been buried next to them. When the coffin had been lowered into the ground and the hole was filled Andrew and Mark left, but Lisbon said she was staying a little longer.

Once her brothers were out of sight she fell to the wet snow covered ground, not caring that she was now cold and wet, she let herself cry, something she had being doing a lot of lately, "I miss you already Tom." She said, speaking to his grave, she felt a little silly, but she believed that somewhere Tommy was listening.

"I'm going back to Iraq in a week, but I'll talk to you all the time, I'll pray and hope you're somewhere better. I love you Tom, talk to you soon." She blew a kiss in the direction of his grave and hurried out of the cemetery.

She got in her car and drove home, well it didn't feel like home anymore, home was with Sam and the other girls in their new barracks in Iraq, home was laughing and joking and playing football, not being alone in an empty, cold house full of memories.

Lisbon walked into the old apartment and shivered, the heating was broken and she hadn't bothered paying for it to be fixed, she was never there anyway. She locked the door and turned on the light, glancing into the living room at the couch she remembered the time she had forced Jane to sleep on it.

"_**COUCH."**_

"_**But Tessie-"**_

"_**NEVER call me Tessie!"**_

_**Jane smiled at her, "Baby you don't really want me to sleep on the couch do you? You don't want to be all alone in bed just over a silly little fight?"**_

"_**Silly? You think what you did wasn't important?"**_

_**Jane immediately changed his tune, "Oh no, it was so very important and not at all silly."**_

"_**Do you even know what you did?" Lisbon asked furiously, hands on her hips.**_

_**Jane chuckled, "I have no idea love."**_

_**Lisbon glared at him, "You told Cho I was a tiger in the bedroom! What the hell is wrong with you?"**_

_**Jane tried not to smile, "Lots of things, I was just telling him the truth though." **_

_**Lisbon turned her glare up a little, "If you think you're going to be able to seduce me into letting you sleep in the bed tonight you're so wrong!" She walked to the cupboard and threw a pillow and covers at him, he chuckled as she stormed up the stairs to bed and he settled himself on the sofa.**_

The memory made Lisbon feel like crying again, Jane had been right as usual, she lasted for about 2 hours before she came downstairs and asked him to come back to bed, he laughed and kissed her, saying he would gladly join her.

Now her bed always felt as cold and lonely as it had for those two hours, but she couldn't just go downstairs and ask him to come back, no, things weren't that simple anymore and it made it hard to sleep. It was crazy, but she slept better in Iraq with the fear of being bombed than she did in her apartment full of memories.

Sighing Lisbon turned off the light and went to bed, she lay there, taking in the only remainder of Patrick, his smell on the sheets and the box on her bedside table with the diamond ring in it as she tried to will her brain into letting her sleep.

She had one more week of this loneliness and then she was going home, to Iraq, to Sam, to her unit and they had all signed up for 5 more years of service, after that Lisbon would be 46 and it would be over, she'd have to leave, she'd be too old and Sam was in the same boat, she was 39, just two years younger than Lisbon, perhaps that was why they got on so well, they were the two oldest of the unit.

Lisbon didn't mind that it would be over in 5 years though because her time with the unit had been brilliant and she smiled to herself at the thought of having 5 more years out in Iraq with them, but first she had to get through this week of hell.

_**A/N - Another chapter finito. This only has 4 more to go =[ . I hope everyone is enjoying it so far and I think I can safely say its not going to get much sadder now!**_

_**I made up all the ages and stuff, I kept the same names for Lisbons brothers that I have in my other ongoing fic "Billy Don's Ford" and I kept the same ages as well, well sort of. When this fic started Lisbon was 36, like she is in "Billy Don's Ford" it just makes it easier for me to remember!**_

_**Thanks for Reading! Xxx**_


	7. The End of Life as We Know It

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 7 -The End of Life as We Know It**

_**A/N - The end of Lisbons army career…this is set quite far in the future, this only has 4 more chapters to go ! :o**_

_**Yes, i admit it, I kinda got the chapters name from 'P.S-I Love You.' I watch it so many times i pretty much know the quotes off by heart :$!  
**_

_**Hope you enjoy this chap!**_

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**_

I'd served 10 years with the US Army when it all ended for me. It was a surprise when I came out alive if I'm honest because as I lay on the wet ground bleeding to death I saw my life flash before my eyes.

As the rain came down and mixed with the mud and my blood I wasn't lying in that ditch anymore, I was 6 years old again and I was with my mother. I was in a factory on holiday in Blackpool, listening to some guy explain how Blackpool rock was made. I was watching with fascination as it was hardened and the patterns were twisted and folded into the rock, the bright colours made me transfixed and in my mind the colours blurred and I felt darkness begin to cloud the memory, but the last thing that I thought of before everything went dark was you, Patrick.

Patrick Janes face swam in front of my blurred vision and when I closed my eyes I remembered the way he smiled at me, the way he'd thrown me over his shoulder and carried me downstairs, the way he'd teased me for my love of pancakes, the way he'd cried when I'd said I wasn't coming back, the way he loved me and the way I loved him.

And then everything went black.

**

* * *

**

"Hello, Patrick Jane?"

Jane answered his cell from work, he had left the CBI to try something new and he had started a successful business as a sort of private detective, the money was good and it was fun, but he missed the atmosphere of the CBI, however that had been a long time ago.

"Yes, I'm Patrick Jane."

"This is the United States Army, we are trying to contact relations of Teresa Lisbon, her emergency contact, Thomas Lisbon has passed away." The man said and Jane's eyes widened, he hadn't heard that name in a long time, "Uh I'm sorry but I can't really help you, I haven't seen Teresa in 10 years."

"Sorry to bother you then Mr Jane." The man said as he hung up, frowning, his cell rang again, but it was his wife this time, "Hey honey." He answered.

"Hey Patrick, are you coming home late again today?"

Jane glanced at his watch and the whiteboard in front of him, "Uh, no I'll be home in about half an hour."

"Well that's good, you've stayed late all week, you sound a little distracted, are you okay?"

"I just got a call from the army about Teresa."

"But you haven't seen her in 10 years."

"I know, her brother died and they can't contact her relations."

"Oh my God, was she killed?"

"I don't know." Jane answered honestly, "I'll talk to you later."

"Alright, see you soon. I love you."

"I love you too." Jane said on autopilot as he hung up his cell, there was no way he could concentrate on work now.

**

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**

"Sergeant Lisbon?"

"Yes Ma'am?" Lisbon said, sitting up straight when her old Sergeant who was now a Colonel walked into her room in the little makeshift hospital, they couldn't fly her out yet so the medics were doing what they could here.

"You know what this means right?"

Lisbon sighed, looking down, "I'm out of the army right?"

The Colonel nodded, "I'm afraid so, you go home to heal and that's it, I'm sorry."

Lisbon shrugged, "This time was gonna come, its alright, I knew it was coming."

The Colonel smiled a little, Lisbon was so brave, so selfless, "It's nothing personal, but after being shot in the chest the recovery time is going to be long and after you recover you're not going to be physically fit enough to come back."

"I know Ma'am." Lisbon said with a smile.

The Colonel smiled back, properly this time, "Well done Sergeant, you've done well in your 10 years with us and I'm very proud of you."

Lisbon grinned, "Thank you Ma'am."

"We fly you back to the USA tomorrow for treatment, you'll be back home in Sacramento for good in a couple of month's time." The Colonel said and noticed how Lisbons face fell, "Hey, your going home, cheer up."

She faked a smile, going home, no, she was going to Sacramento, it wasn't home, she didn't know anyone there anymore and Jane was there, married to Kristina Frye as far as she knew. Despite what the man may think she did read newspapers she saw everything about him and the sparks with the other psychic, it had to be her, the one who had stolen his heart.

The Colonel left and the second most important person to Lisbon walked in, Sam, "Hey Tess, how you feeling?"

Lisbon shrugged, "I've been better."

Sam smiled, "So did the Colonel say what I think she did?"

Lisbon nodded, "I'm being flown back to America tomorrow and that's me done, no more army, Sacramento forever." Her eyes darkened at the thought.

Sam grabbed her hand, "It will be fine, and I'll write to you all the time."

Lisbon smiled sadly at her, "That's what Patrick said to me before I left."

"I keep my promises though Tess." Sam told her friend, Lisbon nodded, "I know you do Sam."

"I'll miss you." Sam admitted and Lisbon reached over, hugging her as best she could, "Yeah, I'll miss you too." Lisbon said sadly.

The next day Lisbon sadly waved goodbye to the unit and her Colonel as she was lifted into the helicopter for the second time, she was flown to an airport where she was transferred to a plane and flown to the USA, she fell asleep when a medic sedated her.

When Lisbon woke up it was in another lonely white room and a part of her wondered if this hospital room would be lonelier than her sad little apartment in Sacramento.

**

* * *

**

Lisbon walked into her apartment to silence and depression for the first time in 10 years and decided in the space of 1 minute that she would sell the place, she would really start anew.

So she went to bed that night and woke up in the morning feeling like a new person, she called up the estate agency and set about putting the apartment up for sale.

2 weeks passed and the place was sold, she moved into her new apartment on the outskirts of Sacramento, it was much more modern and held no memories of Patrick Jane, happily she decided that she would catch up with the team, minus Jane of course.

So she called Cho's old house number and found out that he had moved, but the nice guy who lived in Cho's old house gave her Cho's new number and she was relieved when he answered.

"Hello."

"Hey, Kimball, it's uh Teresa Lisbon, you know from the CBI." She said awkwardly.

"Yeah, nice to talk to you Lisbon, how are you doing?"

Lisbon smiled, Cho hadn't changed, "I'm great, just home from the army, for good now and I wondered if you wanted to meet up with the rest of the old team?"

"Yeah, that would be good, we don't really keep in touch anymore." Cho answered.

"Oh, well maybe we can get everyone talking again." She said hopefully.

"Maybe, when and where do you want to meet up?" He asked.

"How about the Johnny's Pizza Place? You know where we used to go for case closed pizza?"

"Yeah, I remember it."

"Next Saturday at 7.30?" She asked.

"Sure, I'll call you back after I've checked with the babysitter."

"Oh, you have kids?" She asked brightly.

"Yeah, I married Elise, we have twins, Sara and Samara."

"That's great."

"Yeah, catch up with you soon Lisbon."

"Yeah, bye Cho." Lisbon said as she hung up, some people didn't change at all.

It didn't take long for Lisbon to get hold of Rigsby, he was still living in the same flat he had 10 years ago, she called the house phone sure that he had moved, but he answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Uh hi, is this Wayne Rigsby?"

"Yup, who's asking?"

"Wayne its Teresa Lisbon, from the CBI."

Rigsbys voice brightened up, "Oh Lisbon, your back!"

Lisbon smiled, glad of his happy reception, "Yeah, I got shot again so I'm back for good now, I was just trying to arrange a get together with the old team, but Cho said you guys didn't keep in touch."

"Yeah, it wasn't anything personal but the team split up, Cho and Grace both went off and got married and had kids, just made it hard to keep in touch when everyone was so busy." He said, "I think meeting up and catching up with everyone's a great idea." He admitted.

"Well that's great, I'm thinking Johnny's Pizzas Place at 7.30 next Saturday, does that work for you?"

"Sounds great!" He said, she heard scribbling as he wrote it down, "Thanks for calling Lisbon, it was great to talk to you again."

"You too Wayne, see you soon."

"Yeah, see you soon."

The phone call ended and left Lisbon feeling quite pleased with herself at getting the old team back together, but she couldn't find Grace as hard as she tried, she just couldn't get a hold of her or track her down so it was with a frustrated sigh that she realised it would just be her and the 2 boys on Saturday.

Thinking about the two boys made Lisbon think about her two boys in Malibu, she would go and visit them, but first she had someone special to visit in Sacramento.

**

* * *

**

Lisbon placed a single flower on Tommy's grave as she sat cross-legged in front of it, "Hey Tommy, I know I said I would come back and talk to you, but I couldn't come back after everything that happened. It's been too long Tom, but I'm here now." She smiled sadly.

"I've missed you, I've missed your letters, the other boys write sometimes, but you wrote every week, I missed getting those letters. I'm done now though, no more army life for me, I'm not physically fit anymore, not since I got shot again."

Lisbon sighed, "I'm 46 now Tommy and I still don't have a husband or kids, maybe I really will die sad and alone with no one to care about me." She bit her lip in frustration, so hard that it drew blood, making her wince.

"I hope you're in a better place." Lisbon said, glancing up at the sky as if he would appear, God she was going crazy, "I don't know what to do with my life now that I'm back here, in the army I had a purpose, but here I just feel lost."

"I love you Tommy, and I'll talk to you soon, I promise this time." Lisbon said on a finishing note, standing up, blowing a kiss at the grave and walking away, she walked down the hill and out of the cemetery.

She felt a lot more free after her one way conversation with Tommy and decided she would go and see Andrew and Mark tomorrow, but first she had to go home and sort a few things out. Lisbon got into her car and drove back to her new apartment, once there she hurried in and changed her clothes, it was time to face her fears and go shopping in the streets she'd once loved, but now felt like a stranger in.

**

* * *

**

"Honey can you answer the door?" Tammy Lisbon called to her husband, she was holding her 5 year old crying son in one arm and using her other hand to tidy up the living room, whilst doing this she was yelling at her 15 year old son to do his homework and had the phone on her ear as she spoke to her 13 year old daughter who was at her friends house and had just been dumped by her boyfriend.

Happy to get away from the madness Andrew obliged and answered the door, he was both happy and surprised to see his big sister standing on his doorstep, "Tessie!" He exclaimed, pulling her into a hug and inviting her in.

Tammy saw her and her eyes widened, "Oh Teresa, the house isn't usually such a mess, I'm sorry." She said, catching Jason in his attempt to sneak up the stairs, "Get back on that computer and finish your report Jason Lisbon!"

She then remembered she was on the phone, "Yes darling I know its tough, but just come home and we'll talk about it here." Se tried to console her daughter, Angelica.

Lisbon just chuckled, "Its okay Tammy, here, let me take Taylor." She said, lifting the boy from his mothers' arms, "Hey Taylor." She said happily, "Do you remember me?"

Taylor nodded, no longer crying, Lisbon smiled, "I brought you a big fire truck for Christmas last year." She said.

The little boys face lit up and he nodded again, "Fire truck!" He said, grabbing her hand and pointing at the stairs.

Andrew laughed, "He wants to show you his fire truck."

Lisbon just smiled at the little boy, "Do you want me to play with the fire truck with you?" She asked kindly, Taylor nodded, pulling her by her finger up the stairs, she smiled back at Andrew and let him lead her away, she had a soft spot for the kid, he was just too adorable.

Half an hour later when Taylor had exhausted himself and fallen asleep on the sofa, Jason had finished his report and Angelica was back home and in her room Tammy made Lisbon a cup of coffee, "I am so sorry about your reception, it was kind of hectic."

Lisbon shook her head, "Don't worry about it." She said as Tammy handed her a mug of coffee, "Thank you, I'm jealous when I come in here and see all this madness, with just me my life is kind of boring." She admitted.

"It would be quiet though." Tammy joked and Lisbon nodded, smiling, that much was true.

"So Andrew says your back in California for good now?" Tammy asked.

Lisbon answered, "Yep, I'm not physically fit enough anymore after being shot for the second time and I'm getting kinda old."

Tammy scoffed, "Your only 46 and looking damn good." She said, Lisbon laughed, "Thanks Tammy, I appreciate it." She said.

"So how are things in Malibu?"

Tammy smiled, "They haven't been better, we have the usual dramas of course, boyfriend troubles, school fights, but everything's looking better now."

"That's great." Lisbon said happily, there had been a time when Angelica and Jason both got into a lot of trouble, but now they were older they were maturing and Tammy and Andrew had put them in some behaviour camp for summer, that must have tortured them into behaving.

"Taylor's great." Lisbon smiled as she played with the sleeping boy's hair, "He's just adorable."

"He is." Tammy agreed, smiling fondly at her little boy, "But he can be cheeky when he wants to be."

"I guess he gets that from his Dad." Lisbon joked and when Andrew walked in a moment later it was to find both women chuckling.

"Oh hey Honey." Tammy greeted her husband, "Your coffees in the kitchen." Andrew smiled, "Your brilliant." He said and he kissed her on the cheek before walking into the kitchen to get his coffee, watching them made Lisbons heart ache, it brought back a memory, a long dead memory from a Christmas many years ago.

_**Lisbon dipped under the tree, pulling out a large box, Janes eyes widened and he ripped the paper off the package, he laughed, "That's brilliant Teresa." He said as soon as he saw the box, it was a stargazer's ball.**_

_**Lisbon smiled, "I remembered the time we went up to the highest hill we could find before I left for training and just lay watching the stars like you used to with your dad and when I saw this I thought it was perfect. All you have to do is plug it in and you have the night sky on your ceiling, you can look up at the same sky I'll be looking at and it won't seem like we're that far apart." She blushed in the way she always did when she was embarrassed**_

_**Jane thought it was adorable, "It's the best idea ever." He grinned, kissing her on the cheek and handing her another present.**_

"Teresa, are you okay?" Tammy asked.

Lisbon looked up, "Oh sorry Tammy, guess I just zoned out." She admitted.

Tammy understood, giving her a sympathetic look, but she was saved from awkward questions when Andrew came through with his coffee, "I'm really happy to see you Tess, its great that you came through here for us."

**

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**

Lisbons second stop was Marks house where she knew she would get the same treatment, questions about the army and coffee, but after everything that had happened with Tommy she felt the need to visit her brothers more often, she didn't want to lose them too.

"Hey Tess!" Mark said with a grin as he hugged Lisbon, she was standing on the doorstep with a grin on her face too.

"How's it going Mark?" She asked and he replied, "Not too bad now I've got my big sister back."

Lisbon chuckled and Mark ushered her into the house, "Coffee?" He asked, "Sure." Lisbon replied with a small smile to herself.

"I've just been to Andrews." She informed her brother, "So before you ask I'll answer all the typical questions, yes I'm back in Sacramento for good now and yes I did get shot again, and no I haven't spoken to Patrick since I got back, but I'm meeting up with Rigsby and Cho."

Mark laughed, "Well that's all my questions answered, but I do have one more. Have you missed me?" He asked cheekily.

Lisbon laughed and hugged her little brother again, "Yes, I have."

Mark grinned, "Correct answer, if you'd said no you would be out of the door without any coffee!"

**

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**

Lisbon was nervous when she got out of her car at Johnnys Pizza Place, she had just put on a pair of jeans and a casual top, she knew the boys better than anyone, but it had been 10 years, naturally she was nervous. Taking a deep breath she walked in and immediately spotted Rigsby and Cho in discussion at their usual table, it felt like she had gone back 10 years, but then she noticed the empty seats were Grace and Jane would be and realised that a lot had changed.

"Hey guys." Lisbon said with a smile as she sat down across from them, Rigsby grinned and hugged her, Lisbon laughed, "Good to see you too Wayne." She laughed.

Cho just gave her a small smile, "Welcome back Boss."

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "Okay its been 10 years Kimball, call me Teresa." She said.

Cho shrugged, smiling at her with his eyes, he clearly hadn't changed at all, "I couldn't get a hold of Grace." Lisbon admitted "And I didn't invite Patrick because…well you know."

They seemed to understand, "I think you need to go visit him and sort some things out." Rigsby told her.

Lisbon sighed, "I know I do, but I wouldn't know what to say, I mean he met someone, he's probably married, he probably wouldn't want to talk to me."

"You know that's a lie." Cho said, "He _would _want to talk to you, he'd want to know your alright."

Lisbon shrugged, "Maybe, but I don't even know his number or where he lives."

"I don't know his number, but I can give you his address." Cho told his old Boss, Rigsby added, "Just in case you decided to go and talk to him."

Lisbon smiled, neither of the men had changed, "Sure, that's a good idea." She agreed, taking the bit of paper Cho had given her with Janes address on it and putting it safely in her purse.

"Can we get the pizza now?" Rigsby added, making Lisbon laugh, "We can." She said, going up to the bar to order.

Rigsby and Cho watched her walk away, "She's changed." Cho remarked.

"Really? I don't think she looks older at all." Rigsby said.

Cho was so close to rolling his eyes, "No, her personality has changed, she seems sad."

Rigsby shrugged, "The love of her life left her when she was in the middle of the desert fighting for her country, you can understand why she's sad."

"True." Cho said, "But she seems to be coping with it quite well."

Rigsby smiled fondly at the woman who was now talking to the bartender, the same guy it always had been, "Yeah, she's a tough little cookie."

Cho snorted, "Never say that to her face if you want to live."

Rigsby laughed, "Good advice man."

When Lisbon came back with the pizza and the drinks the true catching up began and she had to admit some of the things she heard were very amusing.

"So Kimball, I know you married Elise and had twins, what age are they?" Lisbon asked the man.

"They're almost 7 years old." Cho answered, a small smile gracing his features as he spoke of his children.

"What about you Wayne?" Lisbon asked, wondering what sort of answer she would get from the man who had for a while been gay.

"Uh, well no one at the moment." He answered, "The whole Brandon thing was just a phase I think." He looked embarrassed and Cho took over for him, "Its only been women from then on, none very successful though."

Rigsby made a face at him, "My jobs just busy." He said to Lisbon, "I'm with organised crimes now and its much more hectic than serious crimes was, plus I'm a team leader so you know how that is with the paperwork."

Lisbon grinned, "Your team leader at organised crimes? Well done!"

Rigsby grinned back, "Thanks."

The rest of the night passed by quickly because the company was so good, Lisbon joked with the boys as they talked about things she had missed in Sacramento and they listened with interest as she talked about Iraq, it was nice to be able to let loose with them again, but she knew there was something missing and when she went home that night she decided that in the morning she would face her fears and go see Jane.

_**To Be Continued**_

_**A/N - This chapter isn't as long as previous chapters have been, but I've been really busy! I hope you enjoy it and in the next chapter Jane & Lisbon meet again for the first time in 10 years…**_

_**Thanks for Reading! xxx**_


	8. The Sting of Betrayal

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 8 -The Sting of Betrayal**

_**A/N - This is the chapter where the truth comes out, finally! I don't think it's as long as most of my other chapters have been, but it's got what needs to be in it, in it!**_

_**I don't own the mentalist or its characters sadly, I also don't own the idea, Nicholas Sparks does! I've just added my own edge to it! :D**_

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Lisbon looked up at house in front of her, she had gotten out of her car at the address Cho had given her and couldn't believe it was where Jane lived.

The house was pretty big, it looked like it had about 4 bedrooms, the building itself was whitewashed and beautiful; it was so much grander than she could ever afford and suddenly she felt very nervous.

Swallowing her fear she walked up to the large white double doors and rang the bell, she took a deep breath, praying Jane would answer the door.

Her prayers it seemed were answered when the door swung open, standing in the doorway was none other than Patrick Jane, he had barely changed since the time she had known him. His eyes were still that amazing blue that she could get lost in, his hair was still curly and blonde, his face still so perfect, there were a few more wrinkles, but that could be said for her too, time had passed after all.

She stared at him unsure if she could say anything, but he didn't speak either, he was looking at her like he'd never seen her before, like he was taking in all the changes, because unlike him she had more differences now. A scar on her cheek from the time she had fallen onto a piece of shrapnel and a scar down the right side of her face where she had been cut whilst in a Taliban torture camp. The main difference being one that everyone else knew, she had seen them over time, but it had been 10 long years since she saw Jane and when they had departed she hadn't been blonde, but she wanted a change and the result had been going blonde.

"Teresa." He eventually breathed after what felt like forever, Lisbon nodded, not quite knowing what would come out if she opened her mouth, "Hey." She said sounding shy and thinking that in that moment 'hey' was a stupid choice of words.

"Uh…do you want to come in?" Jane asked, pulling himself out of his trance.

Lisbon nodded, walking into the grand house as Jane held open the door for her, he spoke to her from the kitchen as she stood in the living room, there was a hatch in the wall connecting the two rooms, the house was amazing and it hurt to think that this could have been her, living in here with him, with children, she shook the thought from her head, answering Janes question ("So are you back on leave?")

"Uh, no, I'm back for good actually." Lisbon said, "I got shot again and wasn't going to be fit enough to go back."

Jane didn't turn to face her as he made the coffee, "Well you did your service to your country, 10 years is definitely something to be proud of."

Lisbon smiled, it meant a lot from him, "I guess it is." She said.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you come here?" Jane asked as he came through, handing her coffee and sipping tea, from his blue cup, God seeing that cup in this house when it had once belonged in their apartment broke her heart, but she didn't say a word.

"I guess I just wanted to see how you were doing." She admitted.

Jane sat down, looking at her in the way he did when he was analyzing her, "You went out with Cho and Rigsby, they told you to talk some things out with me, right?"

She couldn't help herself, Lisbon laughed, "I see you haven't lost your touch."

He smiled genuinely at her, "A true mentalist never loses his touch." He simply said.

"Well that's good to know, I heard you quit the CBI." Lisbon said, trying to make small talk but also curious as to why he left.

Jane nodded, "Yeah, who did you hear from?" He asked.

"Tommy." Lisbon answered, "Before he died I came home on leave for 2 weeks and he had just been promoted to my old job, team leader in serious crimes, I was so proud." She knew it shouldn't be that way, but she still felt as though she could share her deepest thoughts and emotions with Jane because she knew that he understood her.

"I'd heard." Jane said quietly, "How did he die?"

Lisbon sighed, "Cancer, he was only 33."

"I'm sorry to hear that, he was a genuinely nice guy." Jane said and Lisbon actually believed that he was sorry, when someone said those words, 'I'm sorry for your loss' it was hard to believe that they were really sorry, but with Jane it had always been different, he really was sorry for any and every loss.

Lisbon nodded, determined not to cry in front of him, "So what are you doing now?" She asked, changing the subject.

Jane shrugged, "I'm a private detective, sort of." He answered and couldn't help but smile at the impressed look on her face, "Really?"

Jane nodded, "Yeah, I get special cases, cases that have been tried by the local police then an elite police and still haven't been solved, I give my insight and close the cases."

"Wow, that's impressive." Lisbon admitted causing Janes smile to widen, "I'm glad that you think so, coming from the mighty army Agent that means a lot."

Lisbon rolled her eyes, they slipped into their old banter so well, even after 10 years apart, "I'm not in the army or an Agent anymore, I'm just Teresa Lisbon now."

Jane watched her reaction, seeing the sadness and loneliness in those words, "You feel lost." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah." Lisbon admitted, "With the CBI I had a purpose, I was catching killers and helping people, with the army I was serving my country, but now I just feel like I have nothing, no purpose, no reason and I hate it."

Jane didn't send her a sympathetic look because he knew she hated them, he simply nodded, "I've been in that place, the CBI saved me from it, why don't you do something with a charity group? If you want to help people that is."

"I've thought about it." She admitted, "But before I do anything I need to get my feet firmly on the ground again, I've been away from Sacramento for so long I'm worried it will take me a while to get my bearings right." She told him sheepishly.

"How long have you been back for?" Jane asked as he placed his empty teacup on the hatch leading into the kitchen.

"A month." She said, "I've started to start over, I bought a new apartment, visited my brothers and the team, now I guess I just need a new job." She smiled bravely at him, not letting him know how hard it was to leave that apartment.

"Well it's good to know things are going well and that you're alive." He told her and she knew that he actually meant it; he cared about her wellbeing even after all these years.

"If it's not too personal, can I ask what happened to your face?" He asked, a little apprehensively.

Lisbon hesitated, placing her empty coffee cup next to his empty teacup, "The one on my cheek was in an accident in Iraq." She said, turning to face him from where she was now standing, "My unit were in trouble, Sam and I managed to hold off the 3 men we were fighting long enough for most of them to get back to the truck, but there were 4 of us left when the bomb went off, two died and Sam was injured." She bit her lip, it wasn't something she liked to think about, let alone talk about, "I tried to walk into the smoke to see if the two who had been hit had survived even though I knew it was stupid, I fell onto a piece of shrapnel and the scars been there for years." She smiled, someone bitterly, "It happened on Christmas day." She told him.

"You didn't get leave?" He asked, Lisbon shook her head, "I got it every year without asking, the Sergeant just gave people with families first choice, but one year I asked to stay and do the Christmas patrol."

"Why?" Jane asked, his ability to ask millions of questions had clearly not been lost in the 10 years she'd been away, Lisbon shrugged, "Tommy had just died and at the time I wasn't as close with Mark and Andrew as I am now." She said simply, which was the truth really but she couldn't face another lonely Christmas, she stayed with Andrew or Mark in Malibu but she still felt so alone as everyone visited and sat around the table in couples, she couldn't handle it, she and Tommy had been the only singles, that year it would have only been her.

"That's understandable." He said, "What about the other one?"

Lisbon frowned, "Uh I was kidnapped and held in a Taliban torture camp for two days, I got this scar along with a lot more before the unit came to my rescue."

Jane could see it was something she wasn't very keen to talk about, "That must have been tough."

Lisbon nodded, "Well, I have to go." She said truthfully as she walked the length of the room, "I have a job interview."

Jane actually looked interested, "Where?" He asked curiously.

Lisbon bit her lip, she was obviously nervous, "The CBI actually, Hightower got Bertram's job, I called her and she said she would see what she could do, its more of a meeting than a job interview, but I hope she offers me something. I'd take a mailroom job if it meant going back." Lisbon told Jane with a smile.

"Good luck." Jane said with a smile, "You might see Grace and Rigsby whilst your there."

Lisbon already knew that Rigsby worked with organised crimes at the CBI, but she didn't know that Grace still worked there too, "Grace is still with the CBI?"

Jane nodded, "Yeah, she climbed the ranks pretty fast, Hightower got Bertram's job and Grace got Hightower's."

Lisbons eyes widened, "Wow, that's great, I always knew she would do well, for a rookie she was brilliant." Lisbon said, genuinely happy for the younger woman, but then something in the corner of her eye made her turn her head suddenly away from Jane.

It was barely noticeable unless you had a good eye, just a small square photo in a simple white frame placed on the mantelpiece of the grand fireplace, but it made tears swim in Lisbons eyes, it made anger cloud her judgement, it made jealousy pound in her veins, it was a wedding photograph.

A photograph of Jane, smiling so brightly, looking happier than he had in a long time, with his arm wrapped around the beautiful redheaded Grace Van Pelt. The photo made her feel so betrayed, he hadn't just met anyone and married them, he'd left her for her closest friend, he'd married her closest friend. But it wasn't all Janes fault, she'd left for the army, she'd left to save lives, to help her country and while she'd been away Grace, someone she had trusted, confided in and shared her secrets with had married the man she loved, was there a worse form of betrayal? In the army it was called treason and it would get you shot, in real life it was called pain and all you could do was deal with it.

Jane must have realised what she was looking at because he placed his hand on Lisbons shoulder, making her jump as she was pulled out of her thoughts, she couldn't turn around and look at him, not with so much hate and betrayal and sadness in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." He said, hoping the words would help but they only angered her further, he had married her best friend and all he could say was that he was sorry? She didn't care how sorry he was, right now all she wanted to do was scream at him.

"The girl you met was Grace." She said quietly, wondering if he could detect the fury that made her voice shake.

"Yeah, she was there for me when you were away and well…it just sort of happened." He told her lamely.

"She was my best friend." Lisbon said.

"I know."

"She was my best friend and you left me, for her." Lisbons voice was full of barely contained rage now and she couldn't control it anymore, "Teresa-" Jane began, but Lisbon wouldn't hear any of it, she turned around to face him and he physically took a step back because of the blazing hate in her eyes, hate all aimed at him.

"Don't try and explain, I get it alright, I was in the army and she was _there _for you." Lisbon said bitterly, "And I can tell you right now exactly when it all started, I'm no Mentalist but it doesn't take a genius to figure out that you slept with her at the CBI New Years party, your letters got weird after that." She glared at him with such fire in her eyes it felt like Jane was being burned.

"Teresa, you don't understand, she was upset because of Rigsby and I didn't know what to do with you saying you would be gone for so long and-"

"And what? You accidentally had sex with her, you didn't mean for it to happen? You cheated on me with her then left me for her, but none of that mattered because you're the innocent Patrick Jane and you didn't _MEAN _for any of it to happen?" Lisbon yelled, the tears she had been holding back now falling, Jane glanced out of the living room door before turning his gaze back to Lisbon, "I'm an ass and I know it alright? You think I don't hate myself for what I did? You think Grace doesn't feel guilty every time one of us mentions your name? It wasn't meant to happen Teresa, but it did."

Lisbon was fuming, that much was clear, "I can't believe you can just say it wasn't meant to happen and expect me to forgive, what do you expect me to say? Oh you didn't _mean _it? Well I guess that's okay then."

Jane shook his head, "I don't know what I expect you to say, but I did expect an apology from you when I saw you on my doorstep today."

"An apology from me? What the hell do _I _need to apologise for?" She asked, her eyes now more cold than angry, but the anger was still there.

Jane looked at her with a lot of anger in his own eyes, and a lot of pain, "The fact that you don't know only makes it worse." He said, looking at her like she was someone he didn't know, someone he didn't like, "Yes I was in the wrong and yes I left you and I am sorry for that, but you weren't exactly keen to be with me were you? You extended, _twice_, without even asking me how I felt! Without even asking me if I minded! Did it ever occur to you that I needed to see you? That I wanted to see you? That I wanted you back home?"

Lisbon was about to say something when a voice interrupted their argument, "Why are you shouting Daddy?"

Both Lisbon and Jane spun around to see a little girl standing behind them in the living room, she had long curly red hair and blue eyes, dazzlingly blue eyes, blue eyes that belonged to only one man. She was rubbing her eyes and holding onto a white bunny rabbit, she had obviously just woken up.

Janes eyes widened when he realised she'd heard the argument, he walked over and lifted the little girl up, she looked about 5 or 6 years old, "Its okay Ginny, Daddy was just having a little argument with an old friend." He said to the little girl, "Did we wake you up from your nap?"

The little girl, Ginny nodded and Jane said, "Are you still sleepy?"

She nodded again, Jane hadn't looked at Lisbon at all since Ginny had walked into the room, "I'll read you a story in just two seconds, can you go up to bed and wait for me there?" Jane asked kindly.

Ginny nodded once more and walked out of the room, Jane looked at Lisbon, she was staring at him with tears running down her face, "I'm sorry Teresa it-"

"It just happened." She finished, "I get it." She didn't wipe her tears away, the anger was all gone, all that was left now was sadness, "I shouldn't have come here." She admitted.

"Have a nice life with Grace and Ginny." She turned on her heel and walked as fast as she could towards the door, but Jane hurried after her, he grabbed her arm before she could open the front door.

"Let me go Patrick." She hissed, unable to look in his eyes.

He grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him, he too had unshed tears in his eyes, "Teresa I need you to know that I'm sorry, I wanted all of this with you I swear, but you were gone so long, I'm so sorry, I need you to know that I truthfully mean that."

Lisbon looked into his eyes, but all she saw in them was a redheaded little girl with those identical eyes, a little girl that was his daughter, his daughter with Grace and suddenly she couldn't forgive him, she couldn't ever forgive him. She pulled her arm out of his grasp and opened the front door, "Goodbye Patrick."

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

_**A/N -Ah this chapter is SO short! I'm sorry, but for such a short chapter I think there was quite a lot of drama, opinions guys?**_

_**Thanks for Reading! xxx**_


	9. His Love is Still in Me

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 9 -His Love is Still in Me, Like a Broken Arrow  
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_**A/N - This is the last proper chapter, chapter 10 will be the epilogue, when this is finished I'm going to start on a new fic called "The Edge of Heaven" and another new fic called "Who's That Girl?" So I have a lot of upcoming fics if you liked this one or "Billy Don's Ford" :D**_

_**The title of this chapter is from "Broken Arrow" by Pixie Lott! :D  
**_

_**Oh, still don't own the mentalist or its characters or anything by the way.**_

_**Hope you enjoy this chapter! **_

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"Grace, can you come home? Please." Jane begged to his wife on the phone.

"Uh, I have no meetings, I can be home in 10 minutes, whats wrong?" Grace asked, fearing that something was wrong with either Jane or her daughter Ginny.

"Teresa just turned up at the house, she stormed off before I could properly explain what happened, I think I know where she is but I can't leave Ginny." Jane said honestly, he was always honest with Grace, something she really appreciated.

"Does she know about us?" Grace asked, picking up her bag and scribbling a note saying she was out for the afternoon, she put it on her door, locked it and hurried down to her car.

"Yeah, she saw the wedding photo and then Ginny walked in…" He trailed off and she could just see him pacing the living room running his hands through his hair.

"Oh God." Grace gasped, "She must hate me." She started up the car, listening to her husbands sigh, "I don't think she can hate anyone more than me right now." He told his wife.

"I'm in my car, I'll be home soon, just don't do anything stupid." Grace urged him, Jane nodded, knowing she couldn't see him, "Okay, see you soon." He said as he hung up the phone.

Ginny was asleep again, thank goodness, he couldn't look after his daughter in this state, seeing Lisbon had sent him back 10 years, it made him relive the mornings when he woke up next to her, it made remember the way she walked around in his old shirts making pancakes, the way they lay in bed all day doing nothing, the way she teased him, how he had loved their casual flirting.

He loved Grace, he truly did, but he had always loved Lisbon more and Grace knew that, they had sat up all night talking about Lisbon and Grace had understood, she knew how it felt to love someone with everything you had, she understood that they would always hold a piece of your heart, but you had room in it for others too.

Ginny had been an accident, they were happy as they were and when Grace told him she was pregnant he freaked out, as she had expected he would. He said he needed to go someplace to think and walked to his bench at the park, where he and Lisbon would sit and watch the leaves in the fall. He had sat there thinking it all over, no one would replace his baby Charlotte, no one ever could, she held this special place in his heart as did Angela, his beautiful wife. But as well as Angela he had made room for Lisbon and Grace so surely he could make room for this new baby too. Thinking about Lisbon made him think of a little girl with her raven curls and his blue eyes, a little boy with his blonde curls and her green eyes, he forced the thought away, this child wasn't Lisbons, it was Graces, the thought alone made a little part of him wish it _was _Lisbons.

When the baby was born Janes opinion changed completely as he looked at the gorgeous baby girl he knew he would love her unconditionally his whole life, she had red curls even as a baby and her blue orbs never changed colour. The baby was named Virginia, after Graces best friend from Iowa, Ginny for short, Jane only ever called her Virginia if she had been naughty.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, all these memories, pictures in his mind of Lisbon laughing from the kitchen when he tripped over one of her shoes in the hall, images of little children with green eyes, thoughts that he had spent years suppressing that were now resurfacing.

Grace saved him from the thoughts when she walked into the living room, "Hey." She said when she walked in.

Jane physically jumped, "Thank you for coming home." He said, kissing her cheek and grabbing his car keys, he didn't wait for her to say anything else as he hurried out of the front door into his car.

Grace understood, she smiled a little sadly after him, Lisbon would always hold a place in his heart, she knew that, hell she understood that because she felt the same way about Rigsby.

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As he expected Jane found Lisbon sitting on their bench in the park, it was fall, the leaves were falling from the trees, changing colour, Lisbon thought it was beautiful, but she loved spring, she loved to see the flowers bloom and blossom.

Jane walked over to the bench and sat down next to Lisbon, she had clearly calmed down now because she didn't stand up and leave straight away, "Please let me explain properly Teresa, I owe it to you." He said gently.

Lisbon didn't say anything, she didn't even turn to look at him, but she didn't leave either so he assumed he had permission to speak, "Alright, I told you the basics, but you were kind of mad." Jane said, not able to look at her, looking straight ahead at the trees instead, "At the New Years party at the CBI I went to the bullpen away from the main party because I wanted to write to you, I found Grace crying because she'd seen Rigsby with 4 different girls that night even though he was with Brandon at the time." Jane took a breath, "Nothing like you thought happened, I comforted her and she said that I was a great friend, I knew she was asking if we could be more, but nothing happened, I kept writing to you, I didn't cheat on you I swear." Jane said, making Lisbon look at him so she knew he was being truthful, she nodded, turning away again.

Jane placed his hand on top of hers, testing the water he slid his hand into hers, she interlocked her fingers with his and he smiled a little as he continued, "When I sent you that letter in October it was because I'd kissed Grace, I was at her apartment sitting on her porch when it happened, it was because of the alcohol but we knew it meant more and I couldn't lie to you so I wrote you that letter, the last letter." Jane said, his emotions raw in his voice.

"I couldn't wait around forever, I could have been waiting for nothing and I couldn't stand waiting with all this worry for you to come home when there was a chance you might never come, it was only hurting us both." She kept her hand in his, "Ginny was an accident, we hadn't planned on having a baby but when she came along everything changed, it made my relationship with Grace stronger."

Jane turned to look at Lisbon, she was still staring straight ahead, "I'm not going to lie to you Teresa I love Grace very much and I love Ginny with all I have, I would do anything for either of them, but what I feel for Grace never compared to the rush I felt when you touched me." He turned away, his skin tingling just from holding her hand.

"You had an affect on me that Grace has never had, but they are my life now, I just needed you to know that."

Lisbon turned to face him, voluntarily for the first time since he had sat down next to her on the bench, to his surprise she smiled, "I know. I had time to think about it after I left, you have a family now, they love you and depend on you, I guess I just wish it could have been me and you."

"Sometimes I wish it could have been us too." Jane said honestly, Lisbon nodded, "It was my fault as much as it was yours." She admitted, "I was wrong to extend without asking you, I guess I was just so determined to prove myself that I didn't think about how you felt stuck in that apartment all alone."

"Until you were stuck there alone on your leave?" Jane guessed, Lisbon nodded, "Yeah." She looked at him for a long moment before leaning over and kissing Jane on the cheek, she stood up, "No ones ever affected me in the way you do either." She admitted before she walked away.

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"Ginny." Grace called from the kitchen, the little girl ran through, "Dinner." Grace said with a smile as she put the plate down on the table, Ginny was generally a quiet child, with a smile at her Mom she sat down at the table to her dinner.

That was when the doorbell rang.

Grace frowned as she made her way to the door, it was an odd time for anyone to be dropping by, when she answered the door she was surprised to see a blonde Lisbon standing there.

Her shock must have been clear on her face because Lisbon laughed, "Yeah, it's quite a change." She said lightly.

Graces face burst into a smile, it wasn't the reception she had expected from Lisbon, but she was happy about that, "You're back!" She said happily as she hugged Lisbon.

Lisbon smiled, she had decided to forgive Jane and Grace, they had fallen in love, it hadn't been malicious, it had been a natural thing, sure she wasn't exactly happy about it, but she was the selfless Teresa Lisbon, she had a reputation to uphold.

"Come in." Grace said, ushering Lisbon into the living room where she had been earlier that day as she looked around she wondered if Jane was at home.

"Patricks working nightshift on a stakeout." Grace informed Lisbon practically reading her mind, "Yeah I heard he was a private detective." Lisbon said, as Grace made her way into the kitchen making coffee.

"Yeah, he loves it, the hours just aren't great sometimes." Grace said, "He told me that you two spoke this afternoon." She told the older woman.

Lisbon nodded, "Yeah, we finally talked things out without yelling." She said with a real smile, maybe there was hope for her and Jane's friendship yet.

"That's a start." Grace said with a laugh as she handed Lisbon her coffee and sat down across from her, "Do you think you can ever be friends again after everything?"

Lisbon bit her lip, "If I'm honest I don't know." She said.

Graces face fell slightly, "And what about me? Can we ever be friends again?" She asked, searching Lisbons eyes for something, anything.

"I hope so." Lisbon said with a small smile, Grace returned the smile, "I hope so too." She said.

"I was in a meeting this morning with Maddy whilst you were here with Patrick." Grace added, "We were talking about you, I've almost convinced her to give you the team leader job at serious crimes, the last guy moved to San Francisco."

Lisbons eyes widened, "You'd do that for me?"

Grace nodded, "Of course I would, I owe it to you after everything I put you through." She said and for the first time Lisbon saw guilt in Graces eyes.

"Wow, thanks." Lisbon said, but then she frowned, "Did you just call Hightower Maddy?"

Grace laughed her melodious laugh, "Yeah, strangely we're good friends now." She said.

"That is strange." Lisbon said with a chuckle of her own, "Congratulations on the job by the way, I always said you would do well."

Grace beamed, "Thanks, I know, I didn't really believe in myself until I was given team leader and then this, but it's my dream job, I actually enjoy going to work every day."

"I know how you feel." Lisbon said with a smile, "I felt the same way about the army."

"Do you miss it?" Grace asked, Lisbon sighed in response, "More than anything." She admitted.

"Well if I can get you this job at the CBI things will look up right?" Grace asked, she had a good heart, all she wanted was for Lisbon to be happy, for things to look up for her.

"Yeah." Lisbon said truthfully, "Things would definitely look up."

"In that case I have some serious convincing to do." Grace said with a grin, a grin that had meant she had a sneaky plan to get information on a case, a grin that was very similar to a Jane grin when he had just thought up a particularly cunning plan.

"You know, he never stopped loving you." Grace said to Lisbon, making the older woman's eyes drop to the floor, Grace noticed but continued, "He loves me, I know that, but he will always love you as well. We talked about it, about how he would always love you and I would always love Wayne, but we love each other too, it's a very complicated relationship but it works for us." She said, Lisbon nodded, lifting her head, "I understand." She said honestly and Grace grabbed her hand, "Thank you, for understanding."

Lisbon nodded, placing her coffee mug on the table and standing up, "I should go Grace." She said, hugging the young beautiful redhead.

Grace smiled, "See you around at the CBI I hope."

Lisbon walked to the door, "I hope so." She said, "Bye Grace."

"Bye Teresa." Grace responded with a wave as Lisbon left the house and got into her car, driving away for the last time.

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Lisbon didn't have Janes number, but she knew him well so when she wanted to say goodbye she went to their bench at the park, as she thought he would be he was sitting there, as she had been the day before, staring at the trees shedding their leaves.

Lisbon took a deep breath and walked over to him, she smiled and sat down next to him.

"You're here to say goodbye." Jane guessed easily.

Lisbon nodded, "I think its best if we don't see each other."

"That may be difficult considering you start working at the CBI on Monday and my wife is the Boss there." Jane teased.

Lisbon sighed, "I'll keep in touch with Grace and I'll see you every now and again in the passing, but we shouldn't be friends, it would only hurt me more." She admitted.

Jane nodded, "I understand that." He said honestly, "In fact I agree with that, I wouldn't want to ruin the life I have with my family."

"And I wouldn't want to ruin that for you either." Lisbon said from her place by his side, "So this is goodbye, forever this time."

Jane stood up and Lisbon did so too, "Goodbye then." Jane said, smiling softly at Lisbon.

Lisbon smiled back, shaking Jane's hand, "Goodbye then." She mimicked and they walked away in opposite directions, this time parting on good terms.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

_**A/N - The next and last chapter is going to be the epilogue!**_

_**Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**_

_**Thank you for Reading! xxx**_


	10. Epilogue

**Dear Teresa**

**Chapter 10 -Epilogue**

_**A/N - Any fans of Chad Brock may see the connection…Yes this chapter is sort of based on the song "She Said Yes." I love the song, couldn't help myself!**_

_**Oh and Cameron Mitchell is THE Cameron Mitchell from Stargate SG-1, but it doesnt matter if you've seen the show or not you'll understand :] and if any fellow Stargaters are reading...How awesome would Cam & Lisbon be as a couple? They would kick alien and criminal ass! ;D  
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_**This is the last chapter, the epilogue, Dear Teresa is finished! I hope you guys enjoyed it! :D**_

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Teresa Lisbon was in her element, she had been back at the CBI for a week, her new team were amazing, nothing like the old team, they had been a family really, but this could be her new family, she was being open-minded about the whole thing.

There was no consultant which was assuring, but she also missed the presence of Patrick Jane, there was no brown leather couch either, that had been lost in the fire that swept through the 5th floor 3 years prior, as a result all the equipment and furniture was new, but her office looked pretty much the same and having her name on that door again felt so good.

Her team consisted of Agent Laurie Hayfield, she was the rookie, tech expert just like Grace, she was a really nice person and very easy to get along with. Then there was Agent Samson Johnson, he was Welsh, very charming and always talking about his new girlfriend and lastly there was Agent Jaime Wishart, another girl, poor Samson felt outnumbered, but Jaime was pretty kick-ass, she reminded Lisbon a lot of herself actually. She had introduced her tradition of case-closed pizza to the team and it had gone down well as it had with her last team.

Anyway it was on a Friday morning when she was sitting in her office doing paperwork, wondering if another case would come in that she received a phone call that would change her life forever.

"Lisbon." She answered curtly, she sometimes forgot which phone was her work cell and which was her private cell.

"You're named after a country?" A cheeky voice asked through the phone, a voice she didn't recognise.

"Who is this?"

"Oh I'm Cambodia." The man said, sounding very serious.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, who the hell was this guy? "My name is Teresa, Lisbon is my second name." She told him, not sure why she was even entertaining the guy.

"In that case I think it's safe to tell you my name, Cameron Mitchell." The guy said, no longer sounding cheeky and teasing.

"And Mr Mitchell why are you calling me on my private cell?" Lisbon asked.

"Ah first I have a question for you, why do you say your second name when people call you on your private cell?" He asked, countering her question.

"I get mixed up between my work cell and my private cell." She said simply.

"In answer to your question I moved into your old apartment, theres a whole bunch of mail for you here so I asked your next door neighbour for your number; she was very obliging, lovely area." He said casually, he sort of reminded Lisbon of Jane.

"Thank you very much for your commitment to getting me my mail." Lisbon teased, "I'll come round after work and get it."

"No problem, I'm in all day moving boxes in anyway." Cameron told her, "See you later Teresa."

"Bye Cameron." Lisbon said with a small smile, hanging up on one of the strangest phone conversations she'd ever had.

**

* * *

**

After spending all day on paperwork because a new case hadn't come in all Lisbon wanted was to go home, have dinner and a hot bath, but then she remembered that she had to stop by her old apartment and pick up her mail from this Cameron guy.

She walked up the staircase and rang the bell, she had lived on the first floor, but there was a stone staircase leading up to it, which didn't really make sense, the ground floor was called G-Floor rather than the first floor, the apartment block was weird.

Cameron came to the door and Lisbon was pleasantly surprised by his looks, he was very handsome, tall and well-built with dark brown hair and hazel brown eyes, he smiled at her when he saw her, "Ah, Teresa Lisbon right? Named after the country, do you remember me, I'm Cambodia?" He asked cheekily, yes, he was definitely a lot like Jane.

Lisbon rolled her eyes, "Hey Cambodia, can I have my mail?" She asked with a small smile.

Cameron grinned, "Sure." He said handing it to her from a table by the door, it was only then that Lisbon noticed his top, it was army standard issue black with a patch on the sleeve, "You're army?" She asked as she took the mail from him.

Cameron nodded, "Well, ex-army, I retired."

Lisbon smiled, they had quite a lot in common it seemed, "Me too." She said.

He seemed surprised, "You're ex-army too?" He asked.

Lisbon nodded, "Yeah, I got shot and wasn't going to be fit enough to go back." She said.

Cameron walked out, closing the door and sitting down in the sun on the stone steps, Lisbon sat down next to him, "I got shot as well, I retired after that, I'd had enough danger for a lifetime." He told her.

Lisbon laughed, "I was sad to go, but I work with the CBI now and I love it there." She admitted, wondering why she was sharing so much with someone she had just met.

"What part of the army did you work in?" Cameron asked curiously, he didn't recognise from his days at Stargate Command.

"I was in an all female unit in Iraq for 10 years." She told him, he seemed impressed, "10 years? That's impressive."

Lisbon smiled, "Thanks, what about you?" She asked.

He couldn't tell her the full truth of it obviously, but he could tell her most of what he did, "I was with the US Airforce, but in the last 3 years I worked in a top secret military base."

Lisbon laughed, "Your security level is like infinity then, you can't tell anyone anything or they'll take you away and brainwash you with alien gadgets!" She joked, Cameron laughed with her, if only she knew how close to the truth her joking was.

"What rank are you?" Lisbon asked, "You must be pretty high if you got into a secret government base." She said.

Cameron smiled, "Colonel, I started working at the base as a Lieutenant Colonel, I got promoted just before I retired."

Lisbon seemed impressed, "I'm just a Sergeant, started out as a Private."

"For Iraq that's good, it's somehow harder to climb the ranks in the army than it is in the airforce." He said, making Lisbon feel a little bit better in the whole rank difference aspect of things.

"Did you get shot a lot?" Lisbon asked, Cameron laughed, "So many times I've lost count." Lisbon laughed as well, "I know how you feel." She said standing up, she wished she could stay longer, but she was meeting Mark, "I have to go, I've got dinner with my little brother." She said.

Cameron smiled, standing up too, "It was nice speaking to you." He said.

Lisbon nodded, "Thanks for giving me my mail." She said as she made her way down the stone stairs.

"Sure." Cameron said, watching her go with a smile, when she got to the bottom he shouted, "Hey Lisbon, can I see you again?"

Lisbon turned around, smiling, "Yes you can Cambodia." She joked.

Cameron grinned, "Tomorrow night at Johnny's Pizza Place, 7pm." He called down to her.

Lisbon nodded and waved at him before jumping into her car and driving off, leaving Cameron watching the space she had last been with a smile, she was definitely a unique woman.

**

* * *

**

After that first date Cameron asked Lisbon if she wanted to see him again sometime, she said she would love too and the rest, as they say, is history.

It only took two weeks for Lisbon to completely fall for Cameron, he was funny, sweet, sensitive, everything she had ever wanted in a guy, it was ironic how much like Jane he was with his jokes and his teasing nature, but surprisingly it didn't feel like he was second best to Lisbon, she loved him and she loved Jane, but she loved them respectively, in different ways.

She wondered if Jane felt the same way about her and Grace sometimes, but she didn't think about it too much, Grace knew about Cameron of course, they hadn't met before, but Lisbon had told her friend about the man, her team teased her, saying she was smitten, but she didn't mind because she knew it was true.

The first time Grace met Cameron also happened to be the first time Jane met the man, it had all happened very fast and completely by fates hand. It was Lisbons birthday so Cameron had decided to stop by the office as a surprise, but Lisbons birthday happened to be Jane and Graces wedding anniversary (a fact that stung she had to admit) so Jane had decided to stop by and see Grace. At the time of both men stopping by (they both used their lunch hour, Jane from his office down the road and Cameron from his part-time job in his Dads shop downtown) Grace was in the bullpen briefing the team on a new case.

When the two men emerged from the elevator together, Jane holding flowers and Cameron holding a box, Grace and Lisbon looked at each other for a moment and smiled, ironic how these things happened.

Jane gave Cameron a strange look and handed the flowers to Grace, "Happy anniversary." He said, kissing her on the cheek, she smiled and thanked him, turning her attention to Cameron and Lisbon, the man walked up to her and lifted her up, spinning her round and putting her down, "Happy Birthday!"

Lisbon laughed, "Nice to see you too." She joked and he grinned handing her the present, it was a relatively small silver box, she eyed it suspiciously.

"It's not going to bite woman." Cameron teased and Lisbon laughed, she opened the silver box and inside it was a black box, could it be? She opened it slowly and gasped when she saw a gold diamond ring sparkling there.

Cameron took the box from her hands and went down on one knee, "I know we've only known each other for 3 months, but if I've learned anything from my mistakes its that time waits for no one, I've loved you since that first phone call when I thought you were named after the country Lisbon and I want to be able to love you until the day I die. So Teresa Lisbon, will you marry me?" He asked, looking up at her with that charming smile.

Lisbons face broke out into a grin, "Yes!" She said, hugging him as he stood up and slid the ring onto her finger, "Of course I'll marry you Cambodia." She joked, they still used the names for a laugh, Cameron grinned and kissed her.

Her team all cheered from the bullpen and Grace was grinning broadly, it had to be one of the cutest things she had ever seen in her life, she turned to Jane who was watching the scene with a smile on his face, but with sadness in his eyes, "That's about as cute as it gets." She told her husband.

Jane smiled at her, smiling with his eyes now, "Was my Eiffel tower proposal not cute enough?" He asked cheekily, she grinned, "It was very romantic." She teased, Jane laughed, "Good to know."

He turned his gaze back to the newly engaged couple, they were hugging now and Cameron had his back to Jane, Lisbon looked over her fiancées shoulder at Jane and her eyes said everything he needed to know, she was sorry but she was moving on and she _was _happy he could see that, all he wanted was for her to be happy so he smiled, really smiled and gave her the thumbs up, her eyes lit up at his reaction and she smiled back, maybe they could be friends after all.

That night Lisbon stayed at Cameron's apartment, they had talked about moving in together before the engagement and were set on it now; it was just a matter of time really. Cameron had gone out to get a Chinese takeout and whilst he was away Lisbon had taken out the ring that Jane had left her, the one he was going to propose with and compared it to the one on her hand.

Janes ring was very simple, it was a gold band with a diamond in the middle, but it was beautiful all the same. Cameron's was also very beautiful, but it was slightly more fancy, the band was also gold but it had diamonds all around the middle of the band too as well as a larger diamond in the middle, they were both amazing, but one held empty promises and one held the promise of a lifetime, that was what really made the difference.

Lisbon had been so engrossed with the rings that she hadn't heard the front door open or heard Cameron walk up the stairs, in fact the first of her noticing that he was back was when he asked, his voice a little shaky, "Teresa, whats going on?"

Lisbon jumped, biting her lip she told Cameron to sit down, he joined her on the bed and Lisbon said, "I've only ever been in love twice."

Cameron frowned as Lisbon grabbed his hand, "With you now and with the man you met at the CBI today, Patrick Jane, 10 years ago."

"Were you married to him?" Cameron asked, looking at the engagement ring in its box.

Lisbon shook her head, "We weren't even engaged." She said, knowing that Cameron must have been confused, "He meant a lot to me and I to him, we still mean a lot to each other, but in a different way now." She said truthfully, "We met when I worked at the CBI, he was a consultant on my team, but he pulled stupid stunts and when he killed the man who had murdered his wife and child he got away on self-defence, but I got fired."

Cameron seemed to be coming to terms with where this was going now, "So you joined the army." He said.

Lisbon nodded, "But before I left Patrick told me he loved me and we started this kind of messed up relationship. But you know how it is with military bases, leave is hard to come by so we rarely saw each, but we wrote letters." Lisbon sighed, she still didn't like to talk about this but she knew Cameron had a right to know, "After I'd been in the army for a year he told me he had met someone and the letters stopped, I didn't keep in touch or even come back to Sacramento for 10 years and when I saw him again I realised the woman he had met, married and had a child with was my best friend."

Cameron's eyes widened, "No offence but he sounds like an ass." Her fiancée observed, Lisbon laughed, "Yeah, he can be." She admitted.

"If you weren't engaged to him how did you get the ring?" Cameron asked.

Lisbon replied, "We lived here, in this apartment together, I came back here to pick some things up and found the ring along with a note saying that he was sorry, it was why I moved away from this apartment, it had too many memories."

Cameron smiled softly at her, "Hopefully we've made enough new memories here to rule over the old ones.."

Lisbon smiled back, "Don't worry, we have." She said, kissing him lightly, "So did you get the Chinese?" She asked brightly.

Cameron laughed, "Yup, its downstairs, dinner is prepared future Mrs Teresa Mitchell." He said with a grin, Lisbon laughed following him downstairs, he was right, all the new memories they had made in this apartment had made her forget about Jane, she could sometimes go three or four days without thinking about him at all, Cameron was making her better.

**

* * *

**

"I don't think I've felt this nervous since you asked me to be _your _chief bridesmaid Tammy!" Lisbon said to her little brother's wife, the younger woman smiled at her, "You'll be fine Tess, just don't fall over when you're walking down the aisle!"

Lisbon bit her lip, "That's what I'm worried about."

Tammy just chuckled, "Stop biting your lip you're going to chew your lip-gloss off." She scolded her sister-in-law.

Bells rang inside the church and Lisbon took a deep breath, it was time.

Tammy squealed with excitement, "Its time Tess!" She said, grabbing Lisbons veil and helping her out of the car. From the back of the car her other two bridesmaid came out as well as the flower girl. Grace was one of her bridesmaids which she had been delighted about and the other bridesmaid was Angelica, Andrews's daughter. The flower girl was Cameron's niece Leila, she was 7 years old, blonde and adorable.

Grace grinned at Lisbon and Tammy looked like she might explode with excitement as the bells rang out again, they walked towards the church, Lisbon terrified that she would fall over.

Grace, Tammy and Angelica held her veil and she waited outside the large wooden church doors, waiting for them to open, waiting for the moment when all eyes would be on her. She took another deep breath, she was ready.

The bridal march began and the doors opened, now that the time was here all Lisbons fears were gone, she smiled brightly at Cameron from where he waited at the alter and walked down the aisle. As she walked down she looked at the guests, just for a second her eyes met Janes, Jane was smiling, but her eyes weren't, but in that second when they looked at each other his eyes lit up and he moved his head just a fraction, but she understood it to be a nod, she looked away, her eyes on Cameron once more.

She reached the end of the aisle and took Cameron's hand, shooting him a grin, he grinned back and the minister started the service. After the usual things had been said it came to that time at the service, the minister asked, "If anyone wishes for these two not to be wed in holy matrimony speak now or forever hold your peace."

In that awkward two seconds Jane and Lisbons eyes met, she begged him with her eyes not to do anything and after the long silence the minister said, "The bride and groom will now say their vows."

Cameron said his first, he did it from memory, smiling that charming smile at Lisbon, "When I first met you I thought your first name was Lisbon, I teased you about being named after a country and when you asked my name I told you it was Cambodia." There were laughs from the people in the room, "And then you came to your old apartment that I had moved into to pick up your mail, I didn't know it then but I had been standing face to face with my own destiny when we talked on my doorstep that day. Asking you if I could see you again was the best thing I ever did because now you're my everything and I can't imagine my world without you, I will always love you Teresa." The words made Lisbons eyes a little watery, but she was determined not to cry, today was a happy day.

Lisbon smiled, although it _was _a teary smile, "When I first stopped by my old apartment to pick up some mail I didn't know that I would meet the love of my life, but we talked on your doorstep just like old friends and as time went by I just kept falling deeper for you, I'm so glad I decided to come around for my mail that night because I can't imagine what my life would be like if I'd never met you. You make me smile when I'm down and you always find a way to make me laugh, you're the kindest person I've ever known and I will love you with all of my heart for the rest of my life."

Cameron was smiling at her now too, both of their smiles a little teary, but it was to be expected on such an important day after all.

"Do you Cameron Mitchell take Teresa Lisbon as your lawfully wedded wife?" The minister asked, Cameron smiled at Lisbon, "I do." He said easily.

"And do you Teresa Lisbon take Cameron Mitchell as your lawfully wedded husband?" Lisbon also answered without hesitation, "I do." She said with a grin, the rings were exchanged and the minister said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride."

Cameron grinned at Lisbon, kissing her lightly on the lips, everyone cheered and they walked out of the church hand in hand.

At the reception later that night Cameron had been whisked away by a friend of his called Vala to dance and Lisbon was talking to Grace and Cho by the dance floor when someone tapped her on the shoulder, she turned around to see Jane smiling at her, "May I have a dance?" He asked.

Lisbon turned to Grace who nodded with a smile, "Of course." She said and as the next soon began she walked onto the dance floor with Cho. Jane led Lisbon onto the dance floor and they both laughed when the song "More than Words" by Westlife began to play.

"Congratulations Mrs Teresa Mitchell." Jane said with a smile, she returned the smile, "Thank you."

He nodded, "I'm happy for you, you know that right?" Jane asked.

"I know that." Lisbon said honestly.

"Do you believe in fate Teresa?" Jane asked as he spun them around on the dance floor.

Lisbon nodded, "I believe its fate that we broke up and that I sold my apartment because if I hadn't I wouldn't have met Cam."

"And do you think it's a coincidence that 'More than Words' is playing?" Jane asked her softly.

Lisbon shook her head, "There are no such things as coincidences." She said, repeating a phrase he had used often.

He noticed and smiled, "Correct, I think its fate that you married Cameron, maybe we were just never meant to be."

"It could be that." Lisbon agreed, "Or maybe it all just happened at the wrong time."

"Maybe." Jane agreed with a smile, he moved them across the dance floor to where Cameron and Vala were dancing, "Would you like your beautiful wife back Cameron?" Jane asked.

Cameron smiled, "I would love her back." He said as they swapped dancing partners, Lisbon and Cameron laughed as Vala said to Jane, "Oh, I'll happily dance with Adonis here."

"This is the best day of my life." Lisbon told Cameron with a kiss.

Cameron grinned at her, "It is indeed." He agreed and they danced on through the night, there had been a lot of bumps along the way, but in the end everything had worked out perfectly, but hey, that was life.

_**TO BE CONTINUED**_

_**A/N - This is finished! Opinions guys? :D **_

_**I really hope you enjoyed this fic! And for being awesome and following it I'm going to tell you about a few new fics I'm working on…**_

_**The Edge of Heaven - Lisbon is in an accident and falls into a coma, but Jane can see her and the rest of the team thinks he's going crazy!**_

_**Who's That Girl? - Red John goes after Lisbon, but makes a mistake and the team get closer than ever to finding out who Red John is, but it's at a price.**_

_**A Drop in the Ocean - The team get SO close to catching Red John, but lose him and it sends Jane off the rails, he leaves and returns one year later to a very different life than the one he left behind. Jane/Lisbon & Rigsby/Lisbon. (Quite similar to my Stargate Atlantis fic 'A Different Life')**_

_**Start Over Again - Jane doesn't believe in all that supernatural stuff until he watches the woman he loves die and ends up 3 years in the past on the day he joined the CBI.**_

_**So I'm starting on some of these ideas soon, they will all be up here at some point, I think I'm going to start with 'Who's That Girl' though, if you like the sound of any of them stay tuned ;D**_

_**You guys are awesome, I love you all! Thanks so much for reading to the end and I hope you enjoyed the fic! :D xxx**_


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